Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
Impaired declarative memory in depressed patients is slow to recover: clinical experience
M Deuschle1, A Kniest, H Niemann
1Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. deuschle@zi-mannheim.de
Introduction:
The temporal course of recovery of depressed patients' cognitive impairment is not fully understood.
Methods:
We used the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to test declarative memory in 24 depressed patients before and after 35 days of antidepressive treatment as well as after long-term follow-up (> 12 months) in order to relate improvement of depression to recovery of cognitive impairment.
Results:
Patients with complete remission after 35 days had generally been less impaired at baseline. The disturbance of declarative memory in treatment responders as well as in non-responders did not change from baseline to end of treatment (day 35). However, our results revealed normal values in the CVLT sum score as well as in measures of short- and long-delay free-recall measures in both groups after long-term full remission.
Discussion:
We conclude that clinical response to antidepressive treatment precedes improvement of declarative memory. A low degree of impairment of declarative memory is associated with early complete remission of depression.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Long-term Depression
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Depression: Overview
Amnesia
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

