Childhood trauma and diagnosis of major depression: Association with memory and executive function. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaczmarczyk, Michael; Wingenfeld, Katja; Kuehl, Linn K.; Otte, Christian; Hinkelmann, Kim
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 270(2018)
• Page Start: 880
• Page End: 886
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Depression -- Childhood trauma -- Early adversity -- Memory -- Autobiographical memory -- Executive function; AMT Autobiographical Memory Test -- ANOVA Univariate analysis of variance -- ANCOVA Univariate analysis of covariance -- AVLT Auditory Verbal Learning Test -- BDI-II Beck Depression Inventory -- BMI Body Mass Index -- CTQ Childhood Trauma Questionnaire -- DSM-IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition -- HC Healthy controls -- HDRS-17 Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, 17-item -- MDD Major depressive disorder -- MINI Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview -- PTSD Posttraumatic stress disorder -- RCFT Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test -- TCFT Taylor Complex Figure Test -- TMT Trail Making Test; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.10.071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: This study examined the relationship of cognitive function and childhood trauma in depression. Childhood trauma but not depression was associated with overgeneral autobiographical memory. Neither depression nor childhood trauma was significantly associated with other cognitive domains after correction for multiple testing. Abstract: Cognitive function is often impaired in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Childhood trauma is a risk factor for developing MDD and is also associated with cognitive impairments in later life. We aimed to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on cognitive function in MDD. 68 medication-free MDD patients and 75 healthy controls (HC) participated. We tested cognitive function with the Autobiographical Memory Test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Trail Making Test A and B, Rey–Osterrieth/Taylor Complex Figure Test, and Digit Span Backward. Childhood trauma was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Patients and HC did not differ with respect to age, sex, education. Mean CTQ sum scores differed significantly for depressed and HC with mean 47.8 (19.2) and 31.0 (6.8), respectively. Depressed patients and HC (without taking childhood trauma into account) differed only in AVLT performance. When childhood trauma was considered, this group difference disappeared. Subsequent regression analyses revealed that higher CTQ scores but not a diagnosis of MDD were associated with less specific autobiographical memories. Associations of CTQ with other cognitive domains failed significance after correction for multiple testing. Our results suggest that cognitive function is influenced by childhood trauma in MDD. However, the effects are small.