Cognitive Neuroscience-Based Analysis of Memory Impairment Mechanisms and Therapeutic Interventions in Depression

Depression currently stands as one of the most prevalent mental disorders, with incidence rates escalating post-COVID-19 pandemic, constituting a pressing global public health priority. Memory impairment, recognized as a common cognitive deficit among individuals with depression, has emerged as a pivotal target for clinical diagnosis and intervention. This study focuses on elucidating the effects of structural and functional abnormalities within the prefrontal-limbic system circuitry of depressed patients on memory deficits, while concurrently evaluating the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions. The findings corroborate that depression induces neuroanatomical alterations in brain regions encompassing the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala, collectively exerting negative feedback effects on depressive symptomatology. Although extant research partially corroborates the influence of monoaminergic systems on memory deficits, more robust empirical evidence is required to delineate their precise mechanistic pathways. Current therapeutic modalities exhibit moderate efficacy in addressing memory deficits, particularly autobiographical memory impairment. However, such intervention effects appear subject to significant individual variability and remain incomplete.