Relations between clinical characteristics and cognitive deficits among adult patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder

ObjectiveThe present study examined the relations between clinical characteristics and cognitive deficits in adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) from a local outpatient psychiatric clinic in Malaysia.MethodsThe present sample included 110 participants aged 20-60 years old. Participants were invited to provide their information on sociodemographic variables (age, gender, and educational level) and clinical characteristics (age at onset of depression and duration of illness) and to complete a series of cognitive performance measures including the Trail Making Tests A (psychomotor speed) and B (executive function), the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (attention), and the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (immediate free recall, acquisition phase, and delayed recall). The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Version 6.0 was used to confirm the diagnosis of MDD and the Montgomery-angstrom sberg Depression Rating Scale was used to assess illness severity.ResultsAt the bivariate level, relations of age and educational level to all cognitive deficit domains were significant. At the multivariate level, only educational level and illness severity consistently and significantly predicted all cognitive deficits domains.ConclusionsTherapeutic modalities should be individualised whilst considering the impacts of cognitive deficits in an attempt to prevent further deterioration in psychosocial functioning of MDD patients.