Verbal memory performance of mildly to moderately depressed outpatient younger adults

Memory impairment is associated with major depression. Studies on young adults are, however, rare and show inconsistent and contradictory results. The present study investigated the relationship between mild to moderate depression and verbal memory functioning in a relatively large sample of young, non-psychotic, mainly non-medicated outpatients.

Fifty-seven clinically depressed were compared to 42 previously depressed and 46 never depressed controls on the California Verbal Learning Test.

No difference in verbal memory functioning appeared between the three groups, and no difference were obtained between first-episode depressed individuals and individuals with recurrent depression.

The study was cross-sectional and prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Our results suggest that relatively young, non-medicated outpatients with mild to moderate depression are not affected by verbal memory impairments.