Cognitive Training for Depression

There is an urgent public health need to develop more effective and well tolerated treatments for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD); cognitive training interventions aiming to modify cognitive and affective processing abnormalities underlying MDD represent a promising new strategy. This research project translates a well established cognitive bias in major depressive disorder (MDD), working memory bias, into a novel intervention target. In a double-blind, randomized, controlled study, MDD participants undergo 4 weeks of cognitive training sessions, with two sessions per week.

Inclusion criteria

• Primary, current Axis I diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder according to DSM-IV criteria and Ham-D-17 score between 16-27
• Age 18-55
• Able to give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• A history of drug or alcohol abuse or dependence (DSM-IV criteria) within 6 months
• Visual impairment that would affect the ability to observe the computerized presentation of faces.
• Motor impairment that would affect the ability to provide a response by quickly pressing a button.
• Lifetime history of Bipolar spectrum disorders or schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
• Primary, current Axis I diagnosis other than Major Depressive Disorder
• Primary, current Axis II personality disorder.
• Currently attending a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy regimen
• Acute suicidal or homicidal risk (evidenced by suicidal or homicidal attempt within 6 months of screening)
• Pregnancy in women.

Subjects must exhibit no or only moderate alcohol use. Subjects with current excessive use of alcohol (> 8 ounces/day for men and > 6 ounces/day for women) are ineligible for participation, as such drug use could confound the results.