A Case-control Study of Cognitive Function in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder
Wuhan Mental Health Center Affiliated to Jianghan University, Wuhan 430012, China
| Abstract: | Objective: To explore the characteristics of impairment in executive function (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, WCST) and multiple cognitive functions (THINC-it) in adolescents with major depressive disorder. Methods: A total of 52 healthy adolescents and 51 inpatient adolescents meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder were enrolled. Differences between the two groups were compared on the WCST (total errors, TE; perseverative errors, PE; completed categories, CC, etc.) and THINC-it subtests (Digit Symbol Substitution Test, DSST; Trail Making Test Part B, TMT‑B; N‑back task; and Choice Reaction Time, CRT). Results: Compared with the control group, the depression group performed significantly worse on WCST TE (26.86±5.43 vs. 23.35±5.68, p<0.001, Cohen’s d=-0.63) and PE (17.57±6.73 vs. 14.75±5.34, p=0.02, d= -0.47). On THINC-it, the depression group also showed significantly poorer performance on the subjective measure PDQ-5 (9.67±4.19 vs. 6.60±2.86, p=0.01, d=0.83) and on all four objective subtests: CRT (1880 vs. 2532.5, p=0.01), N-back (664 vs. 998, p=0.01), DSST (894.02±595.70 vs. 1151.62±543.17, p=0.02, d=0.45), and TMT-B (1699 vs. 2215.5, p<0.001). No significant differences were found between the two groups in age, sex, or BMI distribution (p>0.05). Conclusion: Adolescents with major depressive disorder exhibit clear executive function deficits as well as multi-domain cognitive impairments, including reduced information processing speed, working memory, and attentional set-shifting. |
| Keywords: | Adolescent Depression; Executive Function; Cognitive Function; Case-control Study |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.mrf.2026.03.002 |
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Received: 4 June 2026
Accepted: 24 June 2026
Published Online: 28 July 2026
Funding
| 1. | 武汉市卫健委科研项目（WX23A97） |
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