Depression and memory in major depressive disorder

The relationship between memory function and depression was examined in 23 patients who met DSM-III criteria for major depression. All patients were unmedicated at the time of examination, which included the Wechsler Memory Scale, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Depression Scale (MMPI-D), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Consistent with previous studies, there was no relationship between the MMPI-D and any of the Wechsler Memory Scale measures. In contrast, poor memory was related to elevated scores on the HDRS. These data indicate that depression does influence memory performance. The most important implication of this study is the need for the use of appropriate measurement instruments in studies of neuropsychological correlates of neuropsychiatric disorders.