Is low cognitive functioning a predictor or consequence of major depressive disorder? A test in two longitudinal birth cohorts.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive impairment has been identified as an important aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD). We tested two theories regarding the association between MDD and cognitive functioning using data from longitudinal cohort studies. One theory, the cognitive reserve hypothesis, suggests that higher cognitive ability in childhood decreases risk of later MDD. The second, the scarring hypothesis, instead suggests that MDD leads to persistent cognitive deficits following disorder onset. We tested both theories in the Dunedin Study, a population-representative cohort followed from birth to midlife and assessed repeatedly for both cognitive functioning and psychopathology. We also used data from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study to test whether childhood cognitive functioning predict

SUBMITTER: Schaefer JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5842891 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature