Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors improve cognitive function in partial responders depressed patients: Results from a prospective observational cohort study
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Major Depressive disorder (MDD) is often accompanied by cognitive deficits, involving attention, learning, memory and executive functioning. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) show efficacy on affective symptoms, but it is unclear whether or not they improve cognitive symptoms. METHODS: We carried out a 12 week-prospective observational study in two cohorts of recurrent moderate-severe partial responder MDD patients, to test the hypothesis that SSRIs and/or SNRIs may affect cognitive symptoms and assess whether or not such an effect was correlated to their effect on affective symptoms. All patients underwent cognitive and neuropsychiatric assessment at baseline, 4- and 12-week follow-up. Thirty-three patients in the SSRI- and sixteen patients in the SNRI-cohort completed the follow-up. RESULTS: Both SSRIs and SNRIs reduced affective symptoms and improved global cognitive function. Both SSRIs and SNRIs improved executive function and verbal memory. Global cognitive function, verbal memory and executive function improved both in full and partial responder patients. Finally, there was no correlation between baseline Mini Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Frontal Assessment Battery scores and the mean change in Hamilton Psychiatric Rating scale for Depression or Beck Depression Inventory at the end of the 12 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: Present data show that SSRIs an…
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
SSRIs and SNRIs have mixed evidence regarding their neurocognitive effects with most demonstrating cognitive safety; although some studies demonstrate neurocognitive enhancement, performance tends to remain below performance levels of healthy controls and remission remains unachieved for most participants.
“The newest classes of antidepressants with primarily serotonergic effects, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), have mixed evidence regarding their neurocognitive effects with most demonstrating cognitive safety.Although some studies demonstrate neurocognitive enhancement, performance tends to remain below”
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 Castellano et al., 2016
Cites
Still being checked.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Liu, Y., Zhao, J., & Guo, W. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02201 · Cited by 268 · see citing works
The anti-inflammatory mechanism of antidepressants – SSRIs, SNRIs
Gałecki, P., Mossakowska-Wójcik, J., & Talarowska, M. E. (2017) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.03.016 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
A standardization of the Novelty-Suppressed Feeding Test protocol in rats
Blasco‐Serra, A., González-Soler, E. M., Cervera‐Ferri, A., Teruel‐Martí, V., & Valverde‐Navarro, A. A. (2017) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2017.08.019 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Bi, C., Guo, S., Hu, S., Chen, J., Ye, M., & Liu, Z. (2022) · Pharmacological Research · doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106372 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Zhang, X., Bu, H., Jiang, Y., Sun, G., Jiang, R., Huang, X., Duan, H., Huang, Z., & Wu, Q. (2019) · Molecular Medicine Reports · doi:10.3892/mmr.2019.10491 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
New drugs in psychiatry: focus on new pharmacological targets
Caraci, F., Leggio, G. M., Salomone, S., & Drago, F. (2017) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.10233.1 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Self-citationGuerrera, C. S., Platania, G. A., Boccaccio, F. M., Sarti, P., Varrasi, S., Colliva, C., Grasso, M., Vivo, S. D., Cavallaro, D., Tascedda, F., et al. (2023) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-023-05300-y · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Self-citationPlatania, G. A., Guerrera, C. S., Sarti, P., Varrasi, S., Pirrone, C., Popović, D., Ventimiglia, A., Vivo, S. D., Cantarella, R. A., Tascedda, F., et al. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276822 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Self-citationNeurobiological and psychological factors to depression
Turner, M. (2024) · International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice · doi:10.1080/13651501.2024.2382091 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Castellano, S., Torrent, C., Petralia, M. C., Godos, J., Cantarella, R. A., Ventimiglia, A., Vivo, S. D., Platania, S., Guarnera, M. A., Pirrone, C., et al. (2020) · Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment · doi:10.2147/ndt.s224754 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Self-citationJavaherian, K., Newman, B. M., Weng, H., Hassenstab, J. J., Xiong, C., Coble, D. W., Fagan, A. M., Benzinger, T. L. S., & Morris, J. C. (2018) · Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders · doi:10.1097/wad.0000000000000284 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Liu, J., Zhao, X.-T., Wei, X.-Y., Yan, D.-F., Ou, W.-W., Liao, M., Ji, S., Peng, Y.-B., Wu, S.-B., Wang, M., et al. (2023) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115326 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Zhao, X., Guo, J., Wang, Y., & Yi, X. (2024) · Microbiome · doi:10.1186/s40168-024-01849-2 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Depression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis
Ma, T., Geng, Y., & Li, P. (2022) · Rheumatology & autoimmunity · doi:10.1002/rai2.12020 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Ou, A., Wu, G. W. Y., Kassel, M. T., Mackin, R. S., Rampersaud, R., Reus, V. I., Mellon, S. H., & Wolkowitz, O. M. (2025) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.115 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Mäkipelto, V., Tuulio‐Henriksson, A., Hakulinen, C. A., Niemelä, S., Lähteenvuo, M., Wegelius, A., Kieseppä, T., Isometsä, E. T., Tiihonen, J., Kampman, O., et al. (2024) · Schizophrenia Research · doi:10.1016/j.schres.2024.02.025 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Robin, A., Thomas-Ollivier, V., Sauvaget, A., Péré, M., & Bulteau, S. (2024) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.03.050 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Liu, J., Jiang, J., He, C., Zhou, L., Zhang, Y., Zhao, S., & Yang, Z. (2024) · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnagi.2024.1451766 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Guerrera, C. S., Platania, G. A., Varrasi, S., Vivo, S. D., Pirrone, C., Vezzosi, V. F., Tascedda, F., Drago, F., Nuovo, S. D., Blom, J. M. C., et al. (2023) · CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets · doi:10.2174/1568007x04666230313091253 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Self-citationWerner, F.-M., & Coveñas, R. (2019) · Current Pharmaceutical Design · doi:10.2174/1381612825666190410165243 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Hutnyan, M., & McClintock, S. M. (2025) · Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation · doi:10.1016/j.transm.2025.100088 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Increased Odds of Cognitive Impairment in Adults with Depressive Symptoms and Antidepressant Use
Meshkat, S., Wu, M., Tassone, V. K., Janssen‐Aguilar, R., Pang, H. Y. M., Jung, H. J., Lou, W. Y. W., & Bhat, V. (2024) · Pharmacopsychiatry · doi:10.1055/a-2381-2061 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Fakih, N., & Fakhoury, M. (2024) · Journal of Psychiatric Practice · doi:10.1097/pra.0000000000000779 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Ma, J., Yang, H., Li, R., Yuan, X., Pan, C., Li, F., Yang, D., Bie, Z., Zheng, J., & Li, Y. (2025) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116576 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Wang, L., Wang, N., Li, W., Liu, H., Nie, L., Shi, M., Xu, W., Zuo, S., & Xu, X. (2024) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5017881/v1
PeConga, E. K., Gauthier, G. M., Mattson, E. K., Coyne, A. E., Feeny, N. C., & Zoellner, L. A. (2025) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2025.2592964
Turner, M. (2025) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.12.026
Guerrera, C. S., Platania, G. A., Boccaccio, F. M., Sarti, P., Varrasi, S., Colliva, C., Grasso, M., Vivo, S. D., Cavallaro, D., Tascedda, F., et al. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24655773
Self-citationMale sexual dysfunction in depressed men treated with fluoxetine versus escitalopram
Khaled, H. N., Elsayed, H. R., & Ahmed, S. A. S. (2026) · Egyptian Journal of Dermatology and Venerology · doi:10.4103/ejdv.ejdv_99_24
Thakur, A., Jain, P., Sharma, M. K., Chauhan, N. S., Khatoon, N., Sahu, D., Ajazuddin, & Tamrakar, S. (2026) · Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports · doi:10.1007/s40473-026-00331-7
Sun, H., Zhang, L., Hu, J., Li, J., & Zheng, Z. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1893010
- Authors
- Castellano, S., Ventimiglia, A., Salomone, S., Ventimiglia, A., Vivo, S., Signorelli, M., Bellelli, E., Santagati, M., Cantarella, R., Fazio, E., Aguglia, E., Drago, F., Nuovo, S., & Caraci, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Catania (IT)
- ORCID
- Venue
- CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets
- Publisher
- Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
- Published
- 2016-10-18
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1290-1298
- ISSN
- 1568-007X (ISSN-L)
- 1871-5273
- OpenAlex
- W2528385559
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 1.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- major depressive disorder, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, cognitive function, executive function, verbal memory, partial responders, antidepressant efficacy, cognitive impairment, frontal lobe function
- MeSH terms
- Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors, Adult, Aged, Antidepressive Agents, Cognition Disorders, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychometrics, Cohort Studies, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review