Cognitive Impairment and Its Correlation with Depression

Article Information

Title: Cognitive Impairment and Its Correlation with Depression

Authors: Sikandar Ali Khan, Jawad Jalil, Mehreen Sajjad

Journal: Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ)

HEC Recognition History

Category	From	To
Y	2024-10-01	2025-12-31
Y	2023-07-01	2024-09-30
Y	2021-07-01	2022-06-30
Y	2020-07-01	2021-06-30
Y	1900-01-01	2005-06-30

Publisher: Army Medical College, Rawalpindi.

Country: Pakistan

Year: 2024

Volume: 74

Issue: 3

Language: English

Keywords: depressioncognitioncognitive impairment

Abstract

Objective: To determine the correlation between the severity of depression and cognitive impairment.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Psychiatry, Combined Military Hospital, Gujranwala, Pakistan from May 2016 to December 2016.
Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients in the Department of Psychiatry at Combined Military Hospital Gujranwala. The diagnosis of depression was made based on the WHO's ICD10 diagnostic criteria, and symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depressive Inventory. Deirdre M. used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment version 7.1 to assess cognitive impairment.
Results: Eighty-six subjects were included in this study. A comparison of cognitive impairment and depression revealed that in a total of 16 subjects with minimal depression, only 5 had cognitive impairment; in 14 subjects with mild depression, 11 showed cognitive impairment; 26 subjects had moderate depression, out of which 18 showed signs of cognitive impairment; and among 30 subjects with severe depression, there was cognitive impairment in 25 individuals. The Spearman correlation showed a weak correlation of 0.321 (p&lt;0.001).
Conclusion: A high level of depressive symptoms, although weak, is significantly correlated with cognitive impairment.

Disclaimer: The following sections are produced through an intensive multi-stage analytical pipeline developed by DefinePK, utilizing advanced natural-language processing, domain-specific knowledge models, and automated cross-referencing systems. Despite the rigor and computational effort involved, the generated summary may still contain inaccuracies or incomplete interpretations. Users are strongly advised to verify all critical information against the original paper and its authoritative sources.

Research Objective

To determine the correlation between the severity of depression and cognitive impairment.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients in the Department of Psychiatry at Combined Military Hospital Gujranwala, Pakistan. Depression diagnosis was based on WHO's ICD10 criteria, and symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depressive Inventory. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment version 7.1. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0, with Spearman correlation test used to measure the relationship between variables.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A["Obtain Ethical Approval"] --> B["Recruit Outpatients with Depression"];
    B --> C["Assess Depression Severity"BDI""];
    C --> D["Assess Cognitive Impairment"MoCA""];
    D --> E["Data Analysis Spearman Correlation"];
    E --> F["Interpret Results"];
    F --> G["Formulate Conclusion"];

Discussion

The study highlights that cognitive impairment is a significant component of depression that is often overlooked in management plans. The findings align with previous research, demonstrating a correlation between depression and cognitive impairment, and further indicate that this impairment is positively correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Addressing cognitive impairment is crucial for comprehensive depression management.

Key Findings

Eighty-six subjects were included. A weak but significant correlation (Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.321, p<0.001) was found between cognitive impairment and depression severity. As depressive symptom severity increased, the frequency of cognitive impairment also increased, with 83.3% of subjects with severe depression exhibiting cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in a significant proportion of depressed patients. While weakly correlated, high levels of depressive symptoms are significantly associated with cognitive impairment. Therefore, cognitive impairment should be considered as part of a comprehensive management plan for depression.

Fact Check

1. Sample Size: 86 subjects were included in the study. (Confirmed in Results section)
2. Correlation Coefficient: A Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.321 was found. (Confirmed in Results section)
3. Study Duration: The study was conducted from May 2016 to December 2016. (Confirmed in Title and Citation section)

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