The functioning of the memory of events in people suffering from depression

Introduction
Cognitive deficits in memory, attention, and executive functions among patients suffering from depressive disorders have been observed in a variety of studies. Observed memory deficits include autobiographical memory, within which we distinguish episodic and semantic content.

Aim of the study
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the functioning of autobiographical memory in patients diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorders, and to look for factors influencing its functioning in terms of severity and course of the disease.

Material and methods
Forty-two people with recurrent depressive disorder were enrolled. Patients qualified for the study were examined with the Hamilton Rating Depression Scale (HRDS) in order to estimate the severity of depressive symptoms. Also, information on the course of the disease was collected (i.e. hospitalisation, suicide attempts). The condition of the autobiographical memory was examined with an episodic memory questionnaire developed for the study.

Results
The statistical analysis of the data collected showed a statistically significant relationship between the duration of the disease, the patient’s age at the first hospitalisation, and the number of freely remembered memories. The statistical analysis did not show any statistically significant relationship between the severity of the disease symptoms, suicide attempts, and the functioning of autobiographical memory. There were also no statistically significant differences between women and men taking part in the study. It should be stressed that the survey was limited to a small group of people and further work on this area is required.