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Cited by 1,667Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesTreatment of Major DepressionAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

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Major depressive disorder is associated with broad impairments on neuropsychological measures of executive function: A meta-analysis and review.

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Snyder, Hannah R.·2013·Psychological Bulletin
DOI 10.1037/a0028727PMC PMC3436964
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Abstract

Cognitive impairments are now widely acknowledged as an important aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD), and it has been proposed that executive function (EF) may be particularly impaired in patients with MDD. However, the existence and nature of EF impairments associated with depression remain strongly debated. Although many studies have found significant deficits associated with MDD on neuropsychological measures of EF, others have not, potentially due to low statistical power, task impurity, and diverse patient samples, and there have been no recent, comprehensive, meta-analyses investigating EF in patients with MDD. The current meta-analysis uses random-effects models to synthesize 113 previous research studies that compared participants with MDD to healthy control participants on at least one neuropsychological measure of EF. Results of the meta-analysis demonstrate that MDD is reliably associated with impaired performance on neuropsychological measures of EF, with effect sizes ranging from 0.32 to 0.97. Although patients with MDD also have slower processing speed, motor slowing alone cannot account for these results. In addition, some evidence suggests that deficits on neuropsychological measures of EF are greater in patients with more severe current depression symptoms, and those taking psychotropic medications, whereas evidence for effects of age was weaker. The results are consistent with the theory that MDD is associated with broad impairment in multiple aspects of EF. Implications for treatment of MDD and theories of EF are discussed. Future research is needed to establish the specificity and causal link between MDD and EF impairments.

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Metadata

Authors
Snyder, H. R.
Affiliations
University of Colorado Boulder (US)
Corresponding author
Snyder, Hannah R.
ORCID
Snyder, Hannah R.
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2013
Volume
139
Issue
1
Pages
81-132
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
DOI
10.1037/a0028727
PMC
PMC3436964
OpenAlex
W2093220018
Cited by
1,667
References
324
Citations by year
2026: 132 · 2025: 146 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 124 · 2022: 144 · 2021: 175 · 2020: 140 · 2019: 123 · 2018: 150 · 2017: 137 · 2016: 107 · 2015: 91 · 2014: 53 · 2013: 25
FWCI
28.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (F31-MH087073)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
major depressive disorder, executive function, cognitive impairment in depression, neuropsychological measures, processing speed, motor slowing, depression severity, age effects, depression treatment
MeSH terms
Cognition Disorders, Major Depressive Disorder, Humans, Neuropsychological Tests, Executive Function

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