Characteristics of Executive Function in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder

Objective To explore the characteristics of executive function in adolescents with major depressive disorder(MDD). Me-thods A total of 36 first-episode drug naive adolescents with MDD and 40 healthy controls were involved.The current and historical psychia-tric conditions were assessed with the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version.The depression severity was assessed with the children′s depression inventory.The executive function was measured in digit span test,Stroop color word test and cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery(CANTAB)[including spatial working memory(SWM),stockings of cambridge(SOC),intra-dimensional/extra-dimensional shifts(IED)].Performances on executive function were compared between the 2 groups. Results In digit span test and Stroop color word test,there was no significant difference between the 2 groups(Pa0.05).In CANTAB,adolescents with major depression showed more SWM between errors(8 boxes)(20.27±12.51 vs 13.91±9.72),greater SWM strategy score(34.79±3.35 vs 32.14±4.25),more SOC mean moves(5.98±1.25 vs 5.33±0.96) and more IED total trials(60.74±37.45 vs 35.44±27.40) than those of healthy control group,there were significant differences between the 2 groups(Pa0.05). Conclusions Adolescents with MDD showed deficits in spatial working memory,set-shifting and planning.Executive function impairments of verbal working memory and inhibitory control are not obvious.