AUTHOR=Wang Zhichao , Zhou Zhongliang , Lu Jiao , Zhang Xinyue , Zhai Xiaohui , Zhuang Yan 

TITLE=Mediating Role of Internet Use in Cognitive-Depressive Pathways: A Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Modeling Approach

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 70 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608478

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2025.1608478

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=ObjectivesPrior work has identified an inverse relationship between depression and cognition in older adults, but the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. This study investigated whether internet use mediates this relationship in middle-aged and older adults.MethodsData were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2015 to 2020 (n = 9,610). The Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) with mediation analysis was used; subgroup analyses were conducted for middle-aged (45–64) and older (65+) adults.ResultsAt the between-person level, a significant negative correlation was found between cognitive function and depressive symptoms. Within-person analysis revealed a bidirectional relationship: poorer cognitive function predicted increased depressive symptoms (β* = −0.080, p < 0.001), and conversely, increased depressive symptoms predicted poorer cognitive function (β* = −0.019, p < 0.05). Internet use partially mediated this relationship, accounting for 8.58% and 9.69% of the total effects, respectively. This mediating effect was stronger in middle-aged adults than in older adults.ConclusionThese results emphasize the continued importance of exploring multidisciplinary interventions to mitigate depressive symptoms and delay cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adult populations.