The Relationship Between Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Functioning in Major Depressive Disorder: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Objective: This study provides a holistic perspective of the effects of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and related factors on functioning and examines the relationship between neurocognitive and psychosocial impairments. Materials and Methods: This retrospective archive study was conducted by analyzing data obtained from eight different clinics in Turkey. The study included 98 patients diagnosed with MDD (DSM-5 criteria) and 68 matched healthy controls. Retrospective evaluations included the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), Perceived Deficit Questionnaire (PDQ-D), Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and SF-36 Health Survey. Results: Neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning levels were found to be low in MDD patients. Patients with MDD scored significantly lower on all domains of SF-36 and PDQ-D scores. While severity of depression and age of onset had a statistically significant impact on PDQ-D scores, educational level had a statistically significant impact on DSST scores. A negative correlation was observed between the PDQ-D and domains of the SF-36 other than the social functioning domain. Conclusion: The present study’s findings related to the Turkish population emphasize the burden of MDD on functioning. Furthermore, the two-way relationship between impairments in cognitive and psychosocial functioning indicates a different aspect of depression symptomatology.