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The influence of depression on memory
Author(s) -
Strömgren L. Sand
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1977.tb06670.x
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , psychology , electroconvulsive therapy , context (archaeology) , verbal memory , depressive symptoms , clinical psychology , autobiographical memory , cognition , psychiatry , audiology , medicine , paleontology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
One hundred and fifty‐two patients suffering from endogenous depression and receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) were scoredfor depression and for memory function before the first, after thesixth and after the last treatment. One third of the patients werealso studied with regard to Retention by verbal and visual testson the same occasions. For the purpose of calculating possible correlations between the degree of depression and memory function, 10 depressive symptoms were assessed and combined under three headings, (1) Depressive Appearance, (2) Content of Ideas and (3) Agitation, while the memory function was measured by means of WMS comprising seven tests combined under three headings, (1) Mental Control, (2) Verbal Learning and (3) Visual Reproduction, besides the tests for Retention. Correlations were calculated on absolute scores before the treatment and on differences between scores from first to second and from first to third examination during the treatment. It is concluded that endogenous depression clearly impairs memory function as measured by WMS and tests for Retention and that, in accordance with this, recovery from depression eliminates the impairment of memory. Mental Control is slightly more sensitive to depression than the other memory tests. Of the components of depression, especially Agitation, but also Depressive Appearance are of great importance. It is further concluded that other factors, too, are of appreciable significance in the memory function as measured by the aforementioned methods. In this context, the intelligence as well as the attitude towards the patient during the testing must be assumed to be of importance. Age seems to have no influence on the relation between depression and memory. As the WMS has been standardized to WAIS IQ, and as in unilateral ECT a great approximation of the average MQ score to the normal level of intelligence occurs, it may be deduced that the harmful effect of this form of treatment on memory is only very slight. Signs of impaired memory after unilateral ECT may thus be interpreted rather as evidence of the presence of residual depression, especially if “Mental Control” is reduced and depressive symptoms such as “Agitation” and “Depressive Appearance” remain.