MEMORY CHANGES AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION

The major depressive disorder affects about 5% of the world population and is characterized by the presence of symptoms such as: depressed mood, low interest in activities, hypersomnia or insomnia, increased or loss of appetite and feelings of guilt. Given this, the performance of cognitive functions can be negatively impacted. This is a cross-sectional study conducted between January and September 2016 that evaluated short-term memory and executive functions of patients with depression at a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco. A semi-structured interview was used to characterize the sociodemographic profile, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Mini Mental State Examination, the Pictorial Memory Test, and the Wisconsin Card Classification Test. Changes in short-term memory, executive functions and cognitive flexibility, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety were found.