# Examining Memory Performance in Senior Adults:
## 4 Discussion
Furthermore, participants with MDD tended to underestimate their memory abilities compared to control subjects. (\(p<0.05\)). While our results do not reflect significant differences among groups, average values show a tendency for depressive individuals to report more memory complaints than those with MCI only and the healthy group. It should be taken into consideration that the inclusion diagnostic criteria were notas strict as in the article referenced above (i.e., MDD diagnosis), in addition to having a small sample in each classified group (\(N=10\) and \(N=13\)). Additionally, the correlations observed between the educational level and GDS-15 scores suggest that as educational level increases, depressive symptoms decrease. This may indicate that educational level could serve as a possible protective factor against depression as indicated by some studies [35]. The linear regression analysis revealed some insights into the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables MFE-28, MIS, and Lawton and Brody scores. In the case of MFE-28, a statistically significant constant term suggests that the baseline level of MFE-28 is significantly different from zero. The positive relationship between independent and dependent variables evidences that higher scores on GDS-15 are significantly associated with higher scores on MFE as mentioned above. The significant t-value reinforces the importance of this variable as a predictor. The MoCA coefficient (\(\beta_{1}\)) has a negative relationship, suggesting that higher MoCA scores, indicative of better cognitive performance, are significantly associated with lower scores on MFE-28. The highly significant t-value emphasises the strong inverse relationship between cognitive performance and subjective memory complaints, underscoring the protective effect of cognitive and emotional health on subjective memory perceptions. MoCA also shows a strong positive relation with MIS, suggesting that higher MoCA scores, which reflect better cognitive performance, are significantly associated with better memory performance. Lastly, the significant positive coefficient for MoCA in the Lawton and Brody scale suggests that cognitive performance is a crucial factor in determining functional independence. As individuals score higher on MoCA, their ability to perform daily activities independently increases. Interventions aimed at improving cognitive function could have positive effects on the functional independence of elderly populations. While this study provides valuable insights into the relationships between cognitive and depressive symptoms and functional outcomes in older adults, it exhibits some limitations that highlight the need for cautious interpretation of the results. The sample size of 73 participants may not provide sufficient statistical power to detect subtle effects, and may increase the likelihood of some relationships not being detected. The findings may not be generalizable to the broader population due to the limited sample size and regional focus. Additionally, cross-sectional studies like this capture data at a single point in time, making it difficult to infer causal relationships or the direction of associations between variables (e.g., whether depressive symptoms actually influence cognitive scores or vice versa). Finally, the interactions between MoCA and GDS-15 scores, and other potential covariates, may not be fully explored. Although our findings suggest a connection between cognitive ability, memory, and depressive symptoms, to gain a thorough understanding of these relationships, additional factors should be considered that could influence the outcomes of future studies. Variables such as medication use, the specific type of medication, the type and severity of the depression, duration since diagnosis and types of MCI were not addressed in our study but are important for analysis. Additionally, increasing the sample size of the study cohorts and employing diverse psychological assessments would enhance the reliability of the findings.