A review of factors that moderate autobiographical memory performance in patients with major depressive disorder.
Studies of autobiographical recall in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) reveal overgeneralization, where autobiographical memory (AM) comprises primarily factual or repeated information as opposed to details specific in time and in place and definitive of episodic re-experiencing. In addition to reviewing AM impairment in MDD, we explore the contribution of key method, demographic, and clinical variables to this dysfunction. Several candidate variables emerge, including testing method, emotion, mood state, illness burden, medication status, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), comorbidity, trauma, age, ruminative state, and executive and memory function. These variables appear to interact in a complex manner to influence AM performance in MDD.
King
Matthew J
MJ
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
MacDougall
Arlene G
AG
Ferris
Shelley M
SM
Levine
Brian
B
MacQueen
Glenda M
GM
McKinnon
Margaret C
MC
D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology
D000928:Antidepressive Agents