Impact of Untreated Major Depressive Disorder on Cognition and Daily Function

Cognitive symptoms are an emerging clinical focus in patients with major depressive disorder. Deficits in executive function, memory, attention, and processing speed, as well as negative cognitive bias, can contribute to low mood symptoms and reduced occupational and social functioning. Both patient reports and objective measures demonstrate that cognitive symptoms are common in patients with depression. Cognitive dysfunction may be present even before the first depressive episode and may remain after mood symptoms have remitted. Clinicians must assess cognitive symptoms in their patients with major depressive disorder, monitor symptoms throughout the course of the disorder and after remission, and understand how these symptoms affect daily function.

From the Department of Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.