title: Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery in depression -- preliminary data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have demonstrated neuropsychological deficits across a variety of cognitive domains in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) during acute episode. However, limited data are available concerning whether these abnormalities persist in the remission phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study CANTAB (Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery) was used to evaluate the cognitive impairment associated with depression during acute episode and in remission. 25 patients with MDD during an acute episode and 11 patients also during remission were tested with CANTAB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the acute episode, Delayed matching to sample, Paired associate learning, Spatial recognition memory, Rapid visual processing and Visuospatial planning were impaired. In remission the improvement of visual learning ability, spatial recognition memory, psychomotor speed, and executive function was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that MDD is associated with neurocognitive dysfunctions in different domains, the most prominent deficit was found in the Paired associate learning test, which requires both the elaboration of "frontal strategies" and the "mnemonic processes". Cognitive impairment was found to improve partly in remission, suggesting that an individual's current mood interacts with the ability to perform a cognitive task. Besides these state markers, trait deficits are important because cognitive impairments which do not improve in remission might serve as endophenotypes of depression.
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Center, Department of Psychiatry, Debrecen, Hungary. egerhazi@med.unideb.hu
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egerházi
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balla
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ritzl
authors.forename: Zsófia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: Ede
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frecska
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berecz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013028:Space Perception