Neuropsychological functioning in depressed adolescent girls.
BACKGROUND
Neuropsychological impairment has been demonstrated in adults with depression. Whether depression arising during adolescence is associated with similar changes is unknown. We describe the neuropsychological functioning of a referred sample of medication-naïve adolescent girls meeting criteria for a diagnosis of Depressive Episode (ICD-10).


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 28 girls (ages 12-16); 14 with depression, 14 healthy controls matched for age, IQ and socio-economic status. Neuropsychological testing was conducted using the CANTAB automated test battery.


RESULTS
Depressed adolescent girls showed performance deficits on visual memory tasks (Pattern Recognition, Delayed Matching to Sample and Paired Associates Learning), one measure of motor speed and on a test of Spatial Working Memory.


CONCLUSIONS
A restricted range of neuropsychological testing was performed on a female-only sample of modest size.


CONCLUSIONS
Depressive episodes in adolescent girls are associated with neurocognitive deficits similar to those previously defined in adult populations and these impairments can be detected prior to exposure to psychotropic drugs. Neuropsychological impairment may be an important, neglected clinical feature in adolescent depression.
Matthews
Keith
K
Section of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Division of Pathology and Neuroscience, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK. k.matthews@dundee.ac.uk
Coghill
David
D
Rhodes
Sinead
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D035061:Control Groups; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires