scholarly journals Executive Function and Spatial Cognition Mediate Psychosocial Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Knight ◽  
Bernhard T. Baune
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Spatial Cognition ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Psychosocial Dysfunction

scholarly journals Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on Theory of Mind and Executive Function in Major Depressive Disorder and Its Correlation with Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 765
Author(s):  
Jie Tong ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Ying Jin ◽  
Weiqing Liu ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Perseverative Errors

Background: Studies have implicated hypofrontality in the pathogenesis of impaired theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF) in major depressive disorder (MDD). These symptoms are usually resistant to treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to reverse hypofrontality. Moreover, BDNF is an effective biomarker of antidepressant effects, but there have been very few studies on the correlation between BDNF and rTMS. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 20 sessions of a 10 Hz unilateral rTMS intervention over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in improving ToM and EF in patients with MDD and its correlation with BDNF. Methods: A total of 120 MDD patients were enrolled in this randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind trial. Each participant received 20 sessions of rTMS at 10 Hz frequency through the active or the sham coil over 4 weeks. ToM was assessed with the facial emotion identification test (FEIT) and hinting task (HT). EF was assessed with the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST). BDNF assessments were carried out at baseline and 2-, 4-, 12-, and 24-week follow-ups. Results: The improvement in the ToM (FEIT, HT) in the active rTMS group was significantly different from that in the sham rTMS group (F = 18.09, p < 0.001; F = 5.02, p = 0.026). There were significant differences in the WCST (categories completed, response errors, response perseverative errors, non-response perseverative errors) after logarithmic transformation at different time points in the active rTMS group (F = 14.71, p < 0.001; F = 5.99, p = 0.046; F = 8.90, p = 0.031; F = 2.31, p = 0.048). However, there was no significant difference in log transformed BDNF concentration between the two groups (t = 0.07 to t = 1.29, p > 0.05). BDNF was negatively correlated with WCST categories completed at the 24th week (r = −0.258, p = 0.046). Conclusions: The results show that rTMS may improve the ToM and EF of patients with MDD and there was no significant correlation with serum BDNF concentration. RTMS can not only be used for treatment of patients with MDD but also has a positive effect on ToM and EF.

scholarly journals Does Duloxetine Improve Cognitive Function Independently of Its Antidepressant Effect in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Subjective Reports of Cognitive Dysfunction?

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Greer ◽  
Prabha Sunderajan ◽  
Bruce D. Grannemann ◽  
Benji T. Kurian ◽  
Madhukar H. Trivedi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Response Control

Introduction. Cognitive deficits are commonly reported by patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Duloxetine, a dual serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, may improve cognitive deficits in MDD. It is unclear if cognitive improvements occur independently of antidepressant effects with standard antidepressant medications.Methods. Thirty participants with MDD who endorsed cognitive deficits at screening received 12-week duloxetine treatment. Twenty-one participants completed treatment and baseline and posttreatment cognitive testing. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used to assess the following cognitive domains: attention, visual memory, executive function/set shifting and working memory, executive function/spatial planning, decision making and response control, and verbal learning and memory.Results. Completers showed significant cognitive improvements across several domains on tasks assessing psychomotor function and mental processing speed, with additional improvements in visual and verbal learning and memory, and affective decision making and response control. Overall significance tests for executive function tasks were also significant, although individual tasks were not, perhaps due to the small sample size. Most notably, cognitive improvements were observed independently of symptom reduction on all domains except verbal learning and memory.Conclusions. Patients reporting baseline cognitive deficits achieved cognitive improvements with duloxetine treatment, most of which were independent of symptomatic improvement. This trial is registered withNCT00933439.

scholarly journals Neurocognitive impairment in drug-free patients with major depressive disorder

2003 ◽  
Vol 182 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Porter ◽  
Peter Gallagher ◽  
Jill M. Thompson ◽  
Allan H. Young
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Psychotropic Medication ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Brain Dysfunction ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Severity Of Depression

BackgroundAlthough neurocognitive impairment has been widely reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), confounding factors, such as the effects of psychotropic medication, have rarely been controlled for.AimsTo examine neurocognitive function in medication-free patients with MDD and healthy controls.MethodForty-four patients meeting DSM–IV criteria for MDD, all psychotropic-medication-free for at least 6 weeks, and 44 demographically matched, healthy comparison subjects completed a comprehensive neurocognitive battery.ResultsPatients with depression were impaired significantly in a range of cognitive domains, including attention and executive function and visuospatial learning and memory, compared with controls. Motor and psychomotor functions were intact. Severity of depression correlated with learning and memory performance, but not executive function.ConclusionsPronounced neurocognitive impairment was found in this sample of young adult out-patients with MDD. This is not attributable to the confounding effects of psychotropic medication and could therefore provide an objective marker of brain dysfunction in depression.

scholarly journals Interaction of Serum Copper and Neurometabolites on Executive Dysfunction in Unmedicated Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxiao Liao ◽  
Shunkai Lai ◽  
Shuming Zhong ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Yiliang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Executive Dysfunction ◽  
Serum Copper ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Digit Symbol Substitution Test ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Major Depressive

Objective: The mechanism of executive function (EF) impairment in major depressive disorder (MDD) remains unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated that altered serum copper levels and neurometabolic alterations may be associated with the psychopathology and cognitive impairment of MDD. While, their inter-relationships in MDD remain uncertain. The present study aims to assess whether the interaction between serum copper levels and neurometabolic alterations is involved in the deficit of executive function (EF) in patients with unmedicated MDD.Methods: Serum copper levels and EFs were measured in 41 MDD patients and 50 control subjects. EFs were evaluated by Trail Making Test, Part-B (TMT-B), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), and Semantic Verbal Fluency testing (SVFT). Additionally, 41 patients and 41 healthy controls underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to obtain ratios of N-acetyl aspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr) and choline-containing compounds to creatine (Cho/Cr) in the lenticular nucleus (LN) of basal ganglia (BG). Finally, association and interaction analysis were conducted to investigate their inter-relationships.Results: The results showed that patients performed worse in the DSST, WCST, TMT-B time and SVFT. Moreover, patients had higher serum copper levels, but lower NAA/Cr ratios in left LN of BG than healthy controls. In patients, serum copper levels were found to significantly negative associated with Categories Completed (CC) number of WCST (r = −0.408, p = 0.008), and positive associated with the Total Errors (TE) and Nonperseverative Errors (PE) number of WCST (r = 0.356, p = 0.023; r = −0.356, p = 0.022). In addition, the NAA/Cr ratios of left LN were found to significantly negative associated with VFS (r = −0.401, p = 0.009), as well as negative associated with serum copper levels (r = −0.365, p = 0.019). Finally, the interaction between copper and NAA may as influencing factors for SVFT and CC number of WCST in patients.Conclusion: Our results indicated that the interaction of abnormal copper levels and NAA/Cr neurometabolic disruption of the LN may impact executive dysfunction, and this may relevant to the pathophysiology of executive impairment in MDD patients.

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