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Cited by 29Treatment of Major DepressionNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Comparative Study of Cognitive Function Between Treatment-Resistant Depressive Patients and First-Episode Depressive Patients

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Rao, Dongping, Xu, Guiyun, Lu, Zenghong, Liang, Huiwei, Lin, Kanguang, Tang, Muni·2019·Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
DOI 10.2147/ndt.s226405PMC PMC6910859
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite reports of cognitive dysfunction during the acute phase of depression, there is a lack of studies in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive function profile of TRD and compare cognitive dysfunction between subjects with TRD and first-episode depression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 31 patients with TRD and 53 with first-episode depression. Cognitive function was assessed by a series of neuropsychological tools such as the verbal fluency test, Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (M-WCST), Tower of Hanoi test, Chinese-revision of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-RC), and Trail Making Test A and B. RESULTS: There were no significant demographic differences between the TRD, first-episode depression, and normal control groups (gender, age, years of education). The full-scale, verbal, and performance intelligence quotients measured with the WAIS-RC were also not significantly different (p>0.05). The normal group scores were all significantly better than TRD and first-episode depression, and the TRD group performed significantly worse than subjects with first-episode depression on Trail Making Test B, two WCST subscales, and the profile score of the Tower of Hanoi test (all p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with depression exhibited global impairments in cognitive function, and these were more common in TRD. Poor executive function may play an important role in TRD.

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Authors
Rao, D., Xu, G., Lu, Z., Liang, H., Lin, K., & Tang, M.
Affiliations
  • Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
  • First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University (CN)
ORCID
Venue
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2019-12
Volume
Volume 15
Pages
3411-3417
ISSN
  • 1176-6328 (ISSN-L)
  • 1178-2021
DOI
10.2147/ndt.s226405
PMC
PMC6910859
OpenAlex
W2991711744
Cited by
29
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
FWCI
1.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Dove Medical Press (Taylor and Francis Group) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
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
treatment-resistant depression, first-episode depression, cognitive impairment, executive function, neuropsychological assessment, Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower of Hanoi, verbal fluency, intelligence quotient

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