Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Australia.
J Affect Disord. 2012 Dec 10;141(2-3):441-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.041. Epub 2012 Mar 23.
There is evidence for neuropsychological dysfunction in depression among adult and elderly participants but little research has been conducted on the neuropsychological functioning of youth with depression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuropsychological functioning of outpatient young participants with depression.
Computerised neuropsychological tests requiring executive functioning, working memory, attention, verbal memory and learning, planning, and visuospatial skills were carried out in a sample of 13-25year-olds with a lifetime history of non-psychotic major depression (n=32) and in healthy age balanced controls (n=65). Psychiatric diagnoses were ascertained using the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview.
Participants with current or previous major depressive disorder demonstrated impairments in executive function tasks requiring conceptual skills and set-shifting, attention and working memory. However, planning skills were found to be largely intact. Positive affect was associated to better attention, working memory and verbal learning in depressed participants, independently from gender and education.
The results may be affected by the small sample size and heterogeneity of the sample.
The findings from this study indicate, and are one of the first to identify, that young subjects aged between 13 and 25, with a lifetime history of depression, have impaired executive and working memory functioning.
有证据表明，成年人和老年人的抑郁症患者存在神经心理学功能障碍，但针对抑郁症青少年的神经心理学功能研究甚少。本研究旨在调查门诊青少年抑郁症患者的神经心理学功能。
对有终生非精神病性重性抑郁病史的 13-25 岁青少年患者（n=32）和健康年龄匹配的对照组（n=65）进行了需要执行功能、工作记忆、注意力、言语记忆和学习、计划和视空间技能的计算机化神经心理学测试。使用 MINI 国际神经精神访谈来确定精神科诊断。
当前或既往患有重性抑郁障碍的参与者在需要概念技能和转换的执行功能任务、注意力和工作记忆方面存在障碍。然而，计划技能基本完好。积极的情绪与抑郁参与者的注意力、工作记忆和言语学习更好相关，独立于性别和教育程度。
结果可能受到样本量小和样本异质性的影响。
本研究的结果表明，并且是首次确定，有终生抑郁病史的 13 至 25 岁青少年存在执行和工作记忆功能障碍。
