title: Cognitive function in unipolar major depression: a comparison of currently depressed, previously depressed, and never depressed individuals.
abstract: There is a lack of consensus upon a conclusive cognitive profile characterizing unipolar major depression. Currently depressed (n = 37), recovered previously depressed (n = 81), and never depressed controls (n = 50) underwent assessment of executive functions, working memory, attention, and psychomotor speed. Currently depressed yielded significantly lower test scores than previously and never depressed subjects on a measure of working memory. Both currently depressed and previously depressed scored significantly lower than never depressed subjects on measures of processing speed. Recurrent depressed performed similarly to subjects with a single depressive episode. These findings indicate a mild and limited cognitive impairment during the course of a mild to moderate major depressive disorder among relatively young adults. Impaired processing speed should be considered in further studies as a potential irreversible marker for recurrent depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. marianne.halvorsen@unn.no
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halvorsen
authors.forename: Ragnhild Sørensen
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Høifødt
authors.forename: Ingvild Nordnes
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Myrbakk
authors.forename: Catharina Elisabeth Arfwedson
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundet
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eisemann
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Waterloo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time