Verbal working memory and functional outcome in patients with unipolar major depressive disorder

In this naturalistic cross-sectional study, the author tested the hypothesis that verbal working memory (WM) in major depressive disorder (MDD) would predict functional outcome. The subjects consisted of 54 clinic adult out-patients. The author found that, in the patients with current episode of MDD, functional outcome was significantly correlated with depressive scores, but not with Digit Sequencing Task scores. Meanwhile, in a sample of full remitted or partial remitted (mildly depressed) patients, functional outcome was significantly correlated with both Digit Sequencing Task scores and depressive scores. Moreover, in a sample of full remitted or partial remitted (mildly depressed) patients, the Digit Sequencing Task score significantly contributed to the prediction of the functional outcome, but the depressive score did not. The findings in this study suggested that enhancement of verbal WM function may be useful to achieve normalization of functioning as an important component of remission in addition to symptomatic remission.