Working memory function in patients with major depression disorder: A narrative review

Working memory (WM) deficits are recognized as serious cognitive impairment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This review aims to clarify the effects of impaired WM function in patients with MDD and explore non-invasive and effective treatments that can be adopted in clinical practice. This review (1) synthesizes extant literature examining brain function and brain areas in terms of WM in individuals with depression, (2) utilizes the outcomes of the studies presented in this review to discuss the effects of impaired WM function on cognitive processing in individuals with depression, (3) integrates the treatments explored in current studies and (4) provides some suggestions for future research. We found that (1) central executive (CE) components affect the processing of WM, and this might be one of the factors influencing cognitive biases, as it is implicated in repetitive negative thinking and rumination; (2) the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the regions of the default mode network (DMN) play a vital role in CE functioning; and (3) psychotherapy, cognitive training, exercise and physical therapy can be used as complementary treatments for MDD.

Automated summary

This review aims to clarify the effects of impaired working memory function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and explore non-invasive and effective treatments that can be adopted in clinical practice. The review synthesizes existing literature on brain function and areas related to working memory in individuals with depression, discusses the effects of impaired working memory function on cognitive processing, and provides suggestions for future research. The review also highlights the role of central executive components and specific brain regions in working memory function and suggests psychotherapy, cognitive training, exercise, and physical therapy as complementary treatments for MDD.