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Stress effects on cognitive function in patients with major depressive disorder: Does childhood trauma play a role?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2019

Linn K. Kuehl ,
Katharina Schultebraucks ,
Christian E. Deuter ,
Anita May ,
Carsten Spitzer ,
Christian Otte  and
Katja Wingenfeld
Linn K. Kuehl*
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
Katharina Schultebraucks
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
Christian E. Deuter
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
Anita May
Affiliation:
Asklepios Fachklinikum Tiefenbrunn, Rosdorf, Germany
Carsten Spitzer
Affiliation:
Asklepios Fachklinikum Tiefenbrunn, Rosdorf, Germany
Christian Otte
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
Katja Wingenfeld
Affiliation:
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
*
Author for Correspondence: Linn K. Kuehl, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203Berlin, Germany, Phone: +49 30 450 517625, Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Impaired cognitive functioning constitutes an important symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD), potentially associated with elevated cortisol levels. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) enhance the risk for MDD and can contribute to disturbances in the stress systems, including cortisol and cognitive functions. In healthy participants, cortisol administration as well as acute stress can affect cognitive performance. In the current study, we tested cognitive performance in MDD patients with (N = 32) and without (N = 52) ACE and healthy participants with (N = 22) and without (N = 37) ACE after psychosocial stress induction (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) and a control condition (Placebo-TSST). MDD predicted lower performance in verbal learning and both selective and sustained attention, while ACE predicted lower performance in psychomotoric speed and working memory. There were no interaction effects of MDD and ACE. After stress, MDD patients were more likely to show lower performance in working memory as well as in selective and sustained attention compared with participants without MDD. Individuals with ACE were more likely to show lower performance in verbal memory after stress compared with individuals without ACE. Our results indicate negative effects of MDD and ACE on distinct cognitive domains. Furthermore, MDD and/or ACE seem to enhance susceptibility for stress-related cognitive impairments.

Keywords

adverse childhood experiencesattentionmajor depressive disordermemorytrier social stress test
Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , August 2020 , pp. 1007 - 1016
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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