Using attentional bias modification as a cognitive vaccine against depression

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Negative attentional biases are linked to increased risk of depression recurrence.
• Reducing these biases may be a viable strategy for secondary depression prevention.
• Previous studies have not established a causal link between reducing attentional bias and depressive recurrence risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal effect of a computerized attentional bias modification (ABM) procedure on risk factors for depressive recurrence.
• To assess the impact of ABM on residual depressive symptoms and the cortisol awakening response in patients with recurrent depression.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-one patients with recurrent depression in remission were randomized to receive either active (positive) or placebo computer-based ABM.
• The ABM involved presenting either pictures of faces or words.
• Residual depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) and cortisol awakening response were measured before and after ABM, and at 4-week follow-up.

Main Results:

• Positive, face-based ABM significantly reduced both residual depressive symptoms and the cortisol awakening response.
• These risk-reducing effects were observed in the month following the ABM intervention.
• Word-based ABM did not show a significant effect on the measured outcome variables.

Conclusions:

• Positive, face-based ABM effectively reduced intermediate risk factors for depression recurrence in previously depressed patients.
• The findings suggest that ABM could function as a "cognitive vaccine" against depression.
• ABM presents a promising strategy for the secondary prevention of recurrent depression.