Contextual recognition memory deficits in major depression are suppressed by cognitive support at encoding

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of cognitive support (an associative orienting instruction at encoding) on contextual memory in depressed patients.MethodsSeventeen patients (age 20–40 years, 14 women) diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 22 healthy controls matched for age, gender and education completed a recognition memory task for item (object) and context (location), with or without an incidental binding cue at encoding. In addition, participants completed the vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS III) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Salivary samples were collected at 7 AM, 4 PM and 10 PM on the day of testing for cortisol and DHEA level measurement.ResultsDepressed patients showed a deficit in contextual memory in the absence of a binding cue but did not differ from healthy controls in item memory or when a binding cue was present. Cortisol and cortisol/DHEA ratios were lower in depressed patients compared to healthy controls and correlated with memory deficits.ConclusionsContextual memory deficits in MDD patients can be reduced by providing cognitive support at encoding.

► Cognitive support on contextual memory, cortisol and DHEA in MDD patients.
► Patients (20–44 years) had contextual memory deficit in the absence of a binding cue.
► Lower cortisol and cortisol/DHEA ratios were correlated to this deficit.
► Additional cognitive support at encoding reduced memory deficits in MDD patients.