Specifically, numerous clinical cross-sectional studies have established that a range of cognitive symptoms occur frequently during the acute state of depression (9). Patients with acute depression show deficits in various domains such as, but not limited to, executive functioning (13–19), audio–verbal functioning (20), memory (21, 22), attention (23), attentional set-shifting (24, 25), visuo-spatial processing, and psychomotor speed (26). A recently published meta-analysis confirmed significant moderate cognitive deficits in the domains of executive function, memory, and attention in patients with depression when compared to controls (27). Additionally, significant correlations between depression severity and cognitive performance were found in the domains of episodic memory, executive function, and processing speed but not for semantic memory or visuo-spatial memory (28).
