Effects of recurrent major depressive disorder on behavior and cognitive function in female depressed patients.
Little is known about the effects of recurring depressive episodes on cognition and behavior. The objective of the study was to compare cognitive function and depression-related behavior between healthy female subjects and female outpatients with early-onset DSM-IV recurrent major depressive disorder and to investigate the effect of cumulative depressive duration. Neuropsychological tests and scales for apathy, anhedonia and psychomotor retardation were assessed in 23 female patients and 60 healthy age-matched female controls. Significantly higher levels of apathy, anhedonia and psychomotor retardation, and worse performance on tests of executive function were found in the patient group compared with the healthy controls. In the patient group, cumulative depression duration was not significantly correlated with cognitive function, apathy, anhedonia or psychomotor retardation. The deficits in executive function were not related to the actual level of depression. Mild executive dysfunction may be the effect of the illness process underlying recurrent depressive disorder. Repeated or extensive depressive episodes do not seem to additionally affect cognitive deficits or behavior in depressed patients.
Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, HP A01.126, University Medical Center Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. i.lampe@altrecht.nl
Indrag K
IK
Lampe
Margriet M
MM
Sitskoorn
Thea J
TJ
Heeren
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index