Asymmetry of recall in depression

• Published in: Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology Vol. 13; no. 6; p. 854
• Main Authors: Deptula, D, Manevitz, A, Yozawitz, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-11-1991
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aging - physiology; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Cognition - physiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Dexamethasone; Female; Humans; Intelligence; Male; Mental Recall - physiology; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Sex Characteristics; Verbal Learning - physiology
• ISSN: 1380-3395
• DOI: 10.1080/01688639108405103

We compared the verbal (auditory/semantic) and nonverbal (visual/configurational) recall of carefully defined depressed patients with a demographically matched control group of normal volunteers. Whereas controls were split as to whether their nonverbal recall exceeded or was inferior to their verbal recall, 89% of depressed patients demonstrated an asymmetry characterized by poorer nonverbal than verbal recall. Depressive subgroups (determined by clinical and psychoendocrine criteria) differed from controls, but not from each other, in demonstrating this asymmetry of recall. In contrast, depressed patients did not individually demonstrate an asymmetry between verbal and nonverbal recognition that differed from controls.