Verbal learning on depressive pseudodementia: accentuate impairment of free recall, moderate on learning processes, and spared short-term and recognition memory

Aprendizagem verbal na pseudodemência depressiva: comprometimento acentuado da evocação livre, moderado nos processos de aprendizagem e preservação da memória de curto prazo e reconhecimento

Objective

Depressive pseudodementia (DPD) is a clinical condition characterized by depressive symptoms followed by cognitive and functional impairment characteristics of dementia. Memory complaints are one of the most related cognitive symptoms in DPD. The present study aims to assess the verbal learning profile of elderly patients with DPD.

Methods

Ninety-six older adults (34 DPD and 62 controls) were assessed by neuropsychological tests including the Rey auditory-verbal learning test (RAVLT). A multivariate general linear model was used to assess group differences and controlled for demographic factors.

Results

Moderate or large effects were found on all RAVLT components, except for short-term and recognition memory.

Conclusion

DPD impairs verbal memory, with large effect size on free recall and moderate effect size on the learning. Short-term storage and recognition memory are useful in clinical contexts when the differential diagnosis is required.

dementia; Alzheimer's disease; mood disorders; unipolar; memory