| Summary: | The major cognitive domains that present changes in depressive disorders include memory, attention, and executive functions. Several studies have shown that cognitive deficits tend to remain after the remission of other depressive symptoms. Recent research has suggested that computerized cognitive training (CCT) may be an effective treatment option since interventions using technology seem to show more benefits in stimulating cognitive functions and quality of life when compared to traditional training programs. This pilot study evaluates the impact of a CCT using COGWEB® in patients with moderate to severe depression (n=20), namely on humor (severity of depressive symptoms) and on a set of cognitive functions (attention, memory and executive function). A sample of clinical patients was divided into an experimental group, who performed two cognitive training sessions per week (a total of 12 sessions), and a control group, who received no cognitive training. Both groups underwent a pre- and post-test (before and after the intervention) that included the Beck Depression Inventory and a battery of neuropsychological tests (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Trail Making Test A and B, Clock Drawing Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, and Auditory Verbal Learning Test). In general, the patients who received CCT showed an improvement in depressive symptoms and positive changes in all cognitive functions under analysis when compared to the group of patients who did not receive the cognitive computer training – these, in the post-test, presented worse results in all the evaluated domains.
Keywords: depression, cognitive training, attention, memory, executive functions.
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