Can Depression Cause Memory Loss?

If you have depression, you know that it can have far-reaching effects on your life beyond your mood. Your despair may be to blame for your increased forgetfulness.

There is evidence to show that depression can have far-reaching effects on cognitive processes, including short- and long-term memory and autobiographical memory.

Lack of concentration and delayed productivity can result from memory problems. Daily chores may become more difficult, including planning, organising, and carrying them out.

Memory Functions Affected by Depression

Depressed people often find it challenging to bring up specific recollections. This finding provides further evidence that depression can affect both declarative and autobiographical memory.

In a study conducted in 2013, participants aged 18 to 24 performed poorly on a pattern separation task. The brain uses this process to store information about previously experienced stimuli and related events.

People may need help recalling specific locations, especially if they have been to multiple comparable locations.

These results support the hypothesis that depressive symptoms can impair declarative memory functions such as recalling recent events.

The authors postulated that depressed people’s brains would produce fewer new nerve cells. This could impede the ability to learn further information and build new memories.

A study published in Psychological Medicine in 2018 indicated that patients with depression may also have trouble recalling details of their autobiographical recollections.

The autobiographical memories of depressed people are over-generalised and lacking in specificity.

Studies of Depression and Memory

Some forms of memory loss, such as those seen in dementia and those with short-term memory impairment, have been linked to depression. Some antidepressants have been linked to memory loss, as reported in the International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal.

Short-term Memory Loss

Memory lapses are a possible symptom of depression. The severity of depressive symptoms was found to be linked to memory complaints in a study of persons with depression published in 2018.

Cognitive impairment was linked to depression in a 2014 review of the literature. Depressed people struggle to focus and remember things.

In addition, they had problems with executive functioning. The ability to concentrate, pay attention, and control one’s actions are all aspects of executive function.

The effects of depression on memory persisted even after treatment in another study published in 2014. Individuals with a history of depression showed more excellent recall of negative adjectives from a list than those without a history of sadness.

Dementia

Scientists have found it difficult to tease the possible connection between sadness and dementia.

Depression can cause memory loss in the elderly, which carers and doctors may initially diagnose as dementia. However, research from 2010 suggests that this may not be an error.

Dementia is sometimes an early warning symptom of depression, which can cause cognitive problems in some elderly persons.

According to the study authors, depression may indicate a more serious neurodegenerative illness.

Grey matter volume may be reduced in depressed patients, according to other studies. For instance, a report published in 2013 describes grey matter alterations in depressed persons. The volume of grey matter in the parts of the brain responsible for emotions and working memory shrank.

Decreased grey matter may also be present in those with dementia. This provides further evidence that the structural changes in the brain associated with depression and dementia may be comparable and contribute to similar symptoms.

Long-term Studies

National Child Development Study data were analysed in a 2019 study that followed children into adulthood. Those who experienced depressive symptoms in their twenties were shown to be at increased risk for immediate and delayed memory impairments in later life.

Other factors, such as individual differences, may explain this occurrence besides depression. Therefore, this correlation does not prove depression causes memory loss in old age. More study is needed to determine the nature of the connection between depression and dementia.

Antidepressants

Memory loss has been linked with antidepressants as well, according to studies.

Some research suggests that tricyclic antidepressants may increase the probability of memory issues. A reduction in memory performance was also observed in persons taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) after 8 weeks of beginning medication, according to an investigation conducted in 2016.

More study is needed to see if this decline persists or reverses once the body responds to the medicine.

Implications of These Memory Problems for Your Life

A person with major depressive disorder or any illness that causes depressive symptoms may have trouble remembering things.

• Short-term memory loss: Working memory can be impaired by depression, making it more difficult to retain new information as it happens. In some circumstances, you may need to help to keep spatial and numerical details in mind.
• Extremely gloomy recollections: It’s common to dwell on the bad parts of past occurrences when reflecting on them. You may start to form sweeping, inaccurate judgments about the overall badness of particular events or periods of your life.
• Inability to concentrate: Depression can impair your ability to recall information, making it challenging to maintain concentration. Studies have shown that depressed workers are less productive than their peers.
• Difficulty determining what to do: Depression impairs cognition by interfering with memory and attention. You may be unable to rationally consider the alternatives or make a sound decision under certain conditions.

Depression and Memory Loss: Evaluation and Management

You may suffer from clinical depression or another form of depressive disorder if you lose memory.

If that’s the case, talking to someone trained in mental health is advisable. To accomplish this, see your primary care physician for a referral to a mental health professional, or schedule an appointment with a mental health professional in your area or from the comfort of your own home with the help of our online psychiatry service.

Symptoms of depression, such as forgetfulness and inability to concentrate, can be alleviated with proper treatment.

Your healthcare professional may offer antidepressant medication, psychotherapy, or behavioural modifications as part of a treatment plan for your depression.

Dealing with Memory Loss

Few studies have compared different methods of reversing memory loss in depressed patients. Treating depression may help some persons with memory loss. A doctor or nurse can help patients monitor their progress and evaluate treatment plans.

Other methods might be useful as well. Some examples are: keeping a paper calendar or utilising an electronic calendar with reminders set, working in an area free of distractions, working on one task at a time, and slowing down to fully absorb information.

Conclusion

Talk to your doctor if you’re having depression symptoms like forgetfulness or have been diagnosed with depression and are showing signs of memory loss. Talk therapy and counselling may be helpful if you’re having trouble controlling your depressive symptoms. Depression can cause memory loss and forgetfulness, but talking to a healthcare professional can help.