Effects of sertraline on depressive symptoms and attentional and executive functions in major depression

[en] Reports on the severity and reversibility of cognitive disturbances in major depression in the literature diverge due to methodological biases. The present study, using a precise methodology, examined attention and executive functions in 20 relatively young, depressed patients presenting a first or second episode of unipolar major depression without psychotic or melancholic characteristics and all being treated with the same psychopharmacological treatment (sertraline) to investigate the changes in potential attentional and executive loss during a subacute period of treatment of 7 weeks. We compared their performance with a group of 26 control subjects who were administered the same cognitive tests. This study confirmed psychomotor slowing associated with attentional and executive disturbance in adults with major depression. Conscious attentional interference for words with a negative emotional valence also was shown. After the first weeks of treatment, the effect of the antidepressant treatment with sertraline was accompanied by a beneficial effect on psychomotor slowing on attentional and executive functions. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Disciplines :

Treatment & clinical psychology

Author, co-author :

Constant, Eric

Adam, Stéphane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cognitives > Département des sciences cognitives

Gillain, B.

Seron, Xavier

Bruyer, Raymond

Seghers, Arlette

Language :

English

Title :

Effects of sertraline on depressive symptoms and attentional and executive functions in major depression

Publication date :

2005

Journal title :

Depression and Anxiety

ISSN :

1091-4269

eISSN :

1520-6394

Publisher :

Wiley Liss, Inc., Hoboken, United States - New Jersey

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

78-89

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 20 April 2010

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