Effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on verbal learning and memory in major depression: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

Major depression (MD) is often accompanied by deficits in cognitive functioning. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has beneficial effects on MD. The aim of this study was to examine whether cognitive behavioral therapy affects verbal learning and memory in patients with MD and whether CBT that emphasizes exercise during behavioral activation has additional effects on verbal performance. Ninety-eight patients with MD were randomly assigned to CBT emphasizing either exercise during behavioral activation (CBT-E) or CBT emphasizing pleasurable low-energy activities (CBT-C). A passive waiting list control group was also involved (WL). Thirty non-depressed age- and sex-matched controls were included to examine potential verbal learning and memory alterations in MD at baseline. Neuropsychological measures were assessed at baseline and after sixteen weeks of CBT and waiting time respectively. Patients with MD demonstrated worse cognitive performance than healthy controls in verbal learning, recognition and memory at baseline. After treatment we found no improvements concerning verbal learning and memory performance compared to WL, with the exception of recognition memory. No differences were found between CBT conditions. Psychological treatments such as CBT seem to have limited influence on memory functions. Concerning recognition memory our results contradict in part previous assumptions that cognitive impairments persists despite depressive symptom reduction.