Download PDF
Pharmacopsychiatry 2004; 37(4): 147-151
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-827168
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Impaired Declarative Memory in Depressed Patients Is Slow To Recover: Clinical Experience

M. Deuschle1 , A. Kniest1 , H. Niemann3 , N. Erb-Bies1 , M. Colla1 , 2 , B. Hamann1 , I. Heuser1 , 2
  • 1Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
  • 2Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, Germany
  • 3Center for Neurological Rehabilitation, Leipzig, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 23.8.2002 Revised: 4.3.2003

Accepted: 10.4.2003

Publication Date:
01 July 2004 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Introduction: The temporal course of recovery of depressed patients’ cognitive impairment is not fully understood. Methods: We used the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to test declarative memory in 24 depressed patients before and after 35 days of antidepressive treatment as well as after long-term follow-up (> 12 months) in order to relate improvement of depression to recovery of cognitive impairment. Results: Patients with complete remission after 35 days had generally been less impaired at baseline. The disturbance of declarative memory in treatment responders as well as in non-responders did not change from baseline to end of treatment (day 35). However, our results revealed normal values in the CVLT sum score as well as in measures of short- and long-delay free-recall measures in both groups after long-term full remission. Discussion: We conclude that clinical response to antidepressive treatment precedes improvement of declarative memory. A low degree of impairment of declarative memory is associated with early complete remission of depression.

References

  • 1 Abas M A, Sahakian B J, Levy R. Neuropsychological deficits and CT scan changes in elderly depressives.  Psychological Medicine. 1990;  20 507-520
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Alexopoulos G S, Meyers B S, Young R C, Mattis S, Kakuma T. The course of geriatric depression with reversible dementia: a controlled study.  American Journal of Psychiatry. 1993;  150 1693-1699
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 American Psychiatric A ssociation. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Washington, DC; American Psychiatric Press 1994
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 4 Basso M R, Bornstein R A. Relative memory deficits in recurrent versus first-episode major depression on a word-list learning task.  Neuropsychology. 1999;  13 557-563
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Beats B C, Sahakian B J, Levy R. Cognitive performance in tests sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction in elderly depressed.  Psychological Medicine. 1996;  26 591-603
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Beblo T, Baumann B, Bogerts B, Wallesch C W, Herrmann M. Neuropsychological correlates of major depression: A short term follow-up.  Cognitive Neuropsychiatry. 1999;  4 33-341
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Beblo T, Herrmann M. Neuropsychological deficits in depressive disorders.  Fortschritte Neurologie Psychiatrie. 2000;  68 1-11
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Burt D B, Zembar M J, Niederehe G. Depression and memory impairment: a meta-analysis of the association, its pattern and specifity.  Psychological Bulletin. 1995;  117 285-305
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Caine E D. The neuropsychology of depression: the pseudodementia syndrome. In: I Grant, KM Adams (Eds) Neuropsychological assessment of neuropsychiatric disorders. New York; Oxford University Press 1986: pp 221-243
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 10 Cole M G, Bellavance F, Mansour A. Prognosis of depression in elderly community and primary care populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  American Journal of Psychiatry. 1999;  156 1182-1189
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Delis D C, Kramer J H, Kaplan E, Ober B A. The California Verbal Learning Test. New York; Psychological Corporation 1987
    Search in Google Scholar
  • 12 Elliott R, Sahakian B J, McKay A P, Herrod J J, Robbins T W, Paykel E. Neuropsychological impairments in unipolar depression: the influence of perceived failure on subsequent performance.  Psychological Medicine. 1996;  26 975-989
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Franke P, Maier W, Hardt J, Frieboes R, Lichtermann D, Hain C. Assessment of frontal lobe functioning in schizophrenia and unipolar major depression.  Psychopathology. 1993;  26 76-84
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Hagerty B M, Williams R A, Likens S. Exploration of prodromal symptoms of major depression.  American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1997;  67 308-314
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Hamilton M. A rating scale for depression.  Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. 1960;  23 56-62
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Harvey P D, Powchik P, Parrella M, White L, Davidson M. Symptom severity and cognitive impairment in chronically hospitalised geriatric patients with affective disorders.  British Journal of Psychiatry. 1997;  170 369-374
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Ilsley J E, Moffoot A PR, O’Carroll R E. An analysis of memory dysfunction in major depression.  Journal of Affective Disorders. 1995;  35 1-9
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Lupien S J, Nair N PV, Brière S, Maheu F, Tu M T, Lemay M, McEwen B S, Meaney J. Increased cortisol levels and impaired cognition in human aging: implication for depression and dementia in later life.  Reviews in Neuroscience. 1999;  10 117-139
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 McAllister T W, Price T RP. Severe depressive pseudodementia with and without dementia.  American Journal of Psychiatry. 1982;  139 626-629
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 McEwen B, Magarinos A, Reagan L. Studies of hormone action in the hippocampal formation. Possible relevance to depression and diabetes.  Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2002;  53 883
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Mitchell A J, Dening T R. Depression-relatd cognitive impairment: possibilities for its pharmacological treatment.  Journal of Affective Disorders. 1996;  36 79-87
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Niemann H, Köhler S, Sturm W, Willmes K, Gottland S, Saß C. Der California Verbal Learning Test: Daten zu einer autorisierten deutschen Version.  Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie. 1999;  10 220-221 (Abstract)
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Paolo A M, Troster A I, Ryan J J. Test-retest stability of the California verbal learning test in older persons.  Neuropsychology. 1997;  11 613-616
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 24 Purcell P, Maruff P, Kyrios M, Pantelis C. Neuropsychological function in young patients with unipolar major depression.  Psychological Medicine. 1997;  27 1277-1285
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 25 Richelson E. Synaptic effects of antidepressants.  Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 1996;  16 (suppl) 1-9
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 26 Tarbuck A F, Paykel E S. Effects of major depression on the cognitive function of younger and older subjects.  Psychological Medicine. 1995;  25 285-296
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 27 Tham A, Engelbrektson K, Mathe A A, Johnson L, Olsson E, Aberg-Wistedt A. Impaired neuropsychological performance in euthymic patients with recurring mood disorders.  Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 1997;  58 26-29
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 28 Trichard C, Martinot J L, Alagille M, Masure M C, Hardy P, Ginestet D, Feline A. Time course of prefrontal lobe dysfunction in severely depressed in-patients: a longitudinal study.  Psychological Medicine. 1995;  25 79-85
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 29 Ulrich S, Northoff G, Wurthmann C, Partscht G, Pester U, Herscu H, Meyer F P. Serum levels of amitriptyline and therapeutic effect in non-delusional moderately to severely depressed in-patients.  Pharmacopsychiatry. 2001;  34 33-40
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 30 Van Londen L, Goekoop J G, Zwinderman A H, Lanser J BK, Wiegant V M, de Wied D. Neuropsychological performance and plasma cortisol, arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in patients with major depression.  Psychological Medicine. 1998;  28 275-284
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar

Michael Deuschle, M.D.

Central Institute of Mental Health

J5, 68159 Mannheim

Germany

Phone: +49-621-1703-626

Fax: +49-621-1703-891

Email: deuschle@zi-mannheim.de