Why Do You Experience Memory Problems When You're Depressed? Here's What Science Says

Depression is often associated with tiredness, hopelessness, and low mood but some people are not aware that depression may also lead to memory problems or feeling more forgetful than usual.

Despite memory problems not being a widely known symptom, science says that cognitive impairment is common in those suffering from depression. A study says that 3 in 5 people who have depression experience cognitive impairments and memory loss.

Memory Problems and Depression

Experts say that memory problems may occur when depression first begins and can even persist when other depressive symptoms have improved.

Normally, a person's working memory is affected by depression. This is the short-term memory used to actively remember things and moments. Problems with a person's memory matt result in difficulty in concentration or making decisions.

In fact, many such cognitive functions are often affected by depression such as attention & planning, response time, decision-making, and reasoning. It also makes it difficult for the brain to switch between tasks and to inhibit knee-jerk responses.

The severity of memory problems in depression varies from person to person. However, research shows that cognitive impairments tend to be smaller during the first episode of depression, while worse memory problems have been seen in more severe depressive symptoms and repeated episodes of low mood.

Brain Structure, Function, and Depression

Depression is associated with various changes in the brain structure and function--including abnormalities in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. These brain regions are involved in emotion processing, cognition, and executive function such as reasoning, decision-making, and planning.

These regions of the brain are interlinked by neural circuits that send and receive messages from each other. Therefore, problems in one region will impact others. In addition, neural circuits that are responsible for both emotion and cognition overlap with those that control stress response systems.

Simply put, the brains of those that have depression had to work harder during memory tasks by seeking the help of additional brain regions in order to perform at part with those that didn't have depression.

Improving Working Memory

There are a lot of ways for a person with depression to improve their working memory. Exercise has shown to positively affect working memory, attention, and processing speed. It is thought that exercise and physical activities release serotonin and dopamine that increase the brain's cortex activation.

Talking therapies also show increased activation of the brain's prefrontal cortex that is associated with improved responsiveness and flexibility which are aspects important in mood and cognition.

In some cases, antidepressants can help improve working memory. The most commonly prescribed antidepressants are linked to improvements in decision-making, reasoning, and planning.

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