Cognitive training in affective disorders improves memory: A preliminary study using the NEAR approach

Background Neuropsychological deficits in depression include difficulties With psychomotor speed, executive functions and memory Some of these changes persist despite antidepressant treatment While research in other areas of psychiatry has shown cognitive training techniques to be effective, only one study has evaluated this approach in depression Methods Sixteen patients (mean age=335years) with a lifetime diagnosis of major depressive disorder were administered a standardised battery of nCLiropsychological tests and allocated to treatment (n=8) or waitlist contiol (n=8) conditions The treatment consisted of 10-weeks of twice weekly cognitive training using the Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Remediation All participants were re-assessed after 10-weeks by interviewers blinded to group allocation Results Participants in treatment condition demonstrated greater improvements oil tests of memory encoding and memory retention than the waitlist Control group There were no observable benefits in terms of psychomotor speed or executive functions 01 in self-reported levels of disability Affective symptoms also remained stable Limitations This study Included a small sample of participants and treatment allocation was not randomised Conclusions Cognitive training in affective disorders improves memory performance It may be an effective non-pharmacological treatment option for improving cognitive functions, which in inturn, may improve psychosocial functioning and reduce disability This Study supports is theories Suggesting cognitive training may promote neuroplasticity (C) 2009 Elsevier B V All rights reserved.