Cognitive disturbance comparison among drug-naïve depressed cases and healthy controls

To assess and compare cognitive disturbances among newly diagnosed depressed and healthy control cases on the McNair and Kahn auto-evaluation scale.

Comparative, cross-sectional study.

Out-patients Department of Psychiatry, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan, from February to May, 2007.

All consecutive new cases reporting at the out patient department were screened for depressive illness. They were matched with healthy-controls aged between 18-40 years. Clinical assessment was carried out on the basis of detailed history, physical examination, mental state examination by psychiatrists. For diagnostic purpose, application of ICD-10 followed by administration of Scale for Cognitive Difficulties.

Sixty subjects, 30 depressed patients (20 females and 10 males) and 30 healthy-controls (18 females and 12 males) were assessed. The age of cases with depressive disorder ranged 18-38 years. It was found that 63.3% (65% females and 60% males) depressed patients had cognitive difficulties compared to 3.3% of healthy-controls (p < 0.001). Proportions were compared using chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05.

Depression is not merely an emotional (mood) disorder but has an impact on cognition domain as well. Attention/concentration was the most common domain of cognition affected, followed by memory disturbance among the drug-naïve depressed patients.