The neuropsychology of depression: Beyond means and t-tests

Abstract:

The focus of my talk will be on the neuropsychology of unipolar and bipolar depression.  Despite a great number of studies being conducted on the topic, there is currently little agreement on a meaningful neuropsychological profile in depression. One response to this apparent lack of progress has been an increased appreciation of more in-depth analytical techniques. I will present analyses from two recently compiled sets of data, each of which demonstrates the value of going beyond measures of mean performance and multiple t-tests of group differences. In the first dataset, intraindividual variability in processing speed will be shown to be superior to mean performance in separating patients with mood disorders from control subjects. In the second dataset, the value of mediation analyses for exploring the possibility of a core deficit in depression will be emphasised. By tracing the origin of the broad cognitive impairment in depression and by exploring how this may vary over time, a more meaningful neuropsychological profile of depression is likely to emerge.

ALL ARE WELCOME.