It is known that there is a cognitive decline in major depressive disorder. Most studies were performed on patients whose sum on a Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale was greater than 30.

In our work, we concentrated on mild and moderate depression, MADRS > 30 was not criteria. Patients included were diagnosed with mild to moderate depressive episode.

To determine how depressive episodes affect cognition.

We included 30 patients diagnosed at the clinic for psychiatry in Nis. We covered the age group between 20 and 40 years, regardless of the gender and educational level. For the assessment of cognition, we used digital symbol substitution test (DSST), Rey audio verbal learning test (RAVLT), trail making test (TMT), stroop color naming test (Stroop), and patients were evaluated with Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS). Tests were conducted on the first visit to a psychiatrist. Patients were compared with the results of the healthy population with the same characteristics, and in the same period (August 2016). Mean values were compared and groups were compared by Student's t-test.

There was a statistically significant difference in all of the tests, and all of the parts of tests conducted on the patients and the control group.

There is a statistically significant cognitive decline in patients with mild and moderate depression.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.