Associative memory and memory complaints in people with first episode of depression: use of the Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME)

The aim of the study is to assesses associative memory and memory complaints in daily life in people with a First Episode of Depression (FED). This is a preliminary pilot study with observational design. Thirty participants were recruited and assessed: fifteen patients (FED) and 15 healthy (HCtrl) participants. The recruitment was from Mental Health Units between 2021 to 2022. DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were used to diagnose depression. The cognitive tests used were face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME), daily life memory questionnaire (MFE-30), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA). FED patients showed mean score compared to the HCtrl significantly higher on the MFE-30, but there were no significant differences in the FNAME. Furthermore, the results no significant correlations were observed between subjective (MFE-30) and objective (FNAME) memory performance. We observed a dissociation between FED patients’ perception of memory difficulties and their objectively measured memory.