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Cited by 519Treatment of Major DepressionNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Neurocognitive impairment in drug-free patients with major depressive disorder

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Porter, Richard J., Gallagher, Peter, Thompson, Jill M., Young, Allan H.·2003·British Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1192/bjp.182.3.214
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although 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. AIMS: To examine neurocognitive function in medication-free patients with MDD and healthy controls. METHOD: Forty-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. RESULTS: Patients 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. CONCLUSIONS: Pronounced 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.

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Crossref · 10.1192/bjp.182.3.214

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  • Learning and decision-making impairments have been observed in ASD, Major Depression, schizophrenia, EDs, OCD, PTSD, and anxiety.

    “Learning and decision-making impairments have been observed, for example, in ASD (Friston et al., 2013; Johnson et al., 2006; Luke et al., 2011; Pellicano and Burr, 2012), Major Depression (Porter et al., 2003), schizophrenia (Waltz et al., 2007), EDs (Brogan et al., 2010), OCD (Joel et al., 2005), PTSD (Jovanovic et al., 2012), and anxiety (Castaneda et al., 2008).”

    From Atypical interoception as a common risk factor for psychopathology: A review (2021) · cites this paper as Porter et al., 2003

    The Learning and memory section reports impaired visual recognition memory in the depression group, supporting the learning-related part of the citation. The paper does not report an observed decision-making impairment: its Current hypotheses section mentions decision-making only in discussing an argument about effortful tasks. The cited paper addresses Major Depression, not the other conditions, which have separate citations in the sentence. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Neurocognitive impairment is a common feature of MDD and is strongly associated with disability, quality of life, and overall functioning.

    “Given that neurocognitive impairment is a common feature of MDD that is associated with overall functioning”

    From Neurocognitive effects of theta burst stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in adults: A systematic review and recommendations for future research (2025) · cites this paper as Porter et al., 2003

    The Abstract says neurocognitive impairment has been widely reported in MDD, and the Discussion reports significant impairment in the young adult out-patients studied. Neither passage establishes an association with overall functioning; the supplied copy also does not support the quoted additions about disability or quality of life (searched those terms and functional outcomes). (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Neurocognitive dysfunction is a core depressive symptom for which few effective treatments exist.

    “Neurocognitive dysfunction is a core depressive symptom for which few effective treatments exist (Porter et al., 2003;Salagre et al., 2017;Zakzanis et al., 1999).”

    From Neurocognitive effects of theta burst stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in adults: A systematic review and recommendations for future research (2025) · cites this paper as Porter et al., 2003

    The Discussion reports significant neurocognitive impairment in young adult out-patients with unipolar depression, supporting the link between depression and cognitive dysfunction. The paper does not establish that it is a core depressive symptom or assess whether few effective treatments exist. The supplied passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Porter, R. J., Gallagher, P., Thompson, J. M., & Young, A. H.
Affiliations
Newcastle University (GB)
Corresponding author
Young, Allan H.
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Published
2003-03
Volume
182
Issue
3
Pages
214-220
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
DOI
10.1192/bjp.182.3.214
OpenAlex
W2121075052
Cited by
519
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 40
FWCI
13.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 5421 d)
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
major depressive disorder, neurocognitive impairment, medication-free patients, attention, executive function, depression severity
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Cognition Disorders, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Psychomotor Performance, Mental Recall, Linear Models, Case-Control Studies

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