Depression is associated with impairments in executive functions, including working memory (WM) which is needed to maintain and manipulate goal-relevant information. Due to these WM impairments depressed individuals have difficulties inhibiting and shifting from irrelevant (negative) information and updating goal relevant information. This study explored whether training WM decreases these impairments and reduces clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety and rumination. Sixty-one students with an elevated score on the BDI-II, representing a dysphoric mood state, executed a working memory training (n = 34) or placebo training (n = 27). Before and after training their depression, anxiety, rumination and working memory were assessed. Furthermore, they executed a working memory task while their pupil dilation was measured to assess their fatigue. Moreover, the investigators compared the dysphoric students with a healthy student population on all measures.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
94
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands
Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) score change between pre and post measurement
Depression is measured with the BDI-II
Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores change from pre to post training measurement
The STAI measures state, trait and total anxiety
Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)
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