Evaluation of the Effect of Anxiety and Depression on Cognitive Functions in Patients with Severe Acne Vulgaris

Objective: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale ( MoCA) is a test used to assess cognitive impairment quickly in clinical practice. Short-term memory, visual-spatial functions, executive functions, attention, concentration, working memory, language, and orientation can be evaluated with this test. The aim of this study was to investigate whether cognitive functions in severe acne vulgaris (AV) disease are affected by anxiety and depression that acne may trigger. Methods: Fifty patients between the ages of 18-32 who clinically diagnosed with severe AV were included in the study. Beck Anxiety and Beck Depression tests and MoCA were applied to all patients by neurology specialist. Results: The mean age of the patient group was found 21.4 +/- 3.81. The mean scores of total MoCA, Beck depression and Beck anxiety scale were 24.1 +/- 3.15, 13.5 +/- 9.24, 11.8 +/- 9.32, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between Beck depression test and Beck anxiety test scores and MoCA test total scores of the patients. When the Beck depression test scores of the patients and the correlation between the subgroups of the MoCA test was examined, there was a significant negative correlation between depression and abstract thinking, and delayed recall. Significant negative correlations were also found between the Beck anxiety test score and abstract thinking and delayed recall which are subgroup of the MoCA test. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety levels in AV patients were found to increase at different levels. MoCA scores are decreasing inversely proportional to depression and anxiety in AV.