Atypical cognitive profile in patients with depression after myocardial infarction

Dijkstra, Jeanette B; Strik, Jacqueline J.M.H; Lousberg, Richel; Prickaerts, Jos; Riedel, Wim J; Jolles, Jelle; van Praag, Herman M; Honig, Adriaan

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 70, Issue 2 , Pages 181-190, July 2002

Atypical cognitive profile in patients with depression after myocardial infarction

Jeanette B Dijkstra
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
Jacqueline J.M.H Strik
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
Richel Lousberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +31-43-388-1021/1039; fax: +1-31-43-367-1096
Wim J Riedel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Jelle Jolles
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Herman M van Praag
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
Adriaan Honig
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands

Received 20 February 2000; received in revised form 20 February 2001; accepted 6 March 2001.

Abstract

Background: We evaluated the cognitive profile of 48 patients with major depression following their first myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: The cognitive performance of the patients was compared with the performance of 48 non-depressed MI patients and 48 healthy controls. Results: Depressed MI patients performed slower on a simple cognitive speed related measure compared with non-depressed MI patients and healthy controls. Attention and speed-related aspects of cognitive functioning were not affected. Surprisingly, (depressed) MI patients showed even better performances with respect to memory function. Limitation: No patients with non-MI-related depression were included. Conclusions: The cognitive profile of major depression after MI differs from that of non-cardiac-related depressive disorder, as described in the literature. This may reflect a different etiology of post MI depression from non-cardiac-related depression.

Keywords: Myocardial infarction, Depression, Cognition