evaluating cognitive function in patients with mdd using a cognitive screening tool

Assessing Sleep Quality and Cognitive Function in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD), a serious mood disorder that causes significant morbidity and mortality, affects over 300 million people worldwide1. MDD is characterized by low mood, reduced drive, loss of interest, and thoughts of self-harm or suicide2. Cognitive symptoms and sleep disturbance (SD) are two non-mood-related symptoms of MDD3,4. Previous studies have shown that the prevalence of SD is 60-90% in patients with MDD, while the prevalence of sleep disorders among these patients in the Chinese population is 85.22%5. 
Although few studies have investigated the causal relationship between cognitive symptoms and SD, preliminary evidence suggests a significant association between sleep disorders and cognitive symptoms in individuals with MDD6. For example, Cha et al.3 found that subjective sleep quality predicted both subjective cognitive performance and objective cognitive impairments, which were partially mediated by depression severity. Biddle et al.7 also found that among older men with MDD, poor sleep efficiency (SE), measured by actigraphy, was associated with worse cognitive function independent of depression severity. The observed discrepancies may be caused by methodological differences. 
Within this literature, researchers have used various tools to evaluate sleep and cognition. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was commonly selected as a subjective tool. Actigraphic devices have also been used. However, PSG, regarded as the gold standard for detecting sleep disorders8, is a sensitive, objective SD assessment9. To our knowledge, among the studies of the relationship between sleep and cognition in patients with MDD, few have used PSG to evaluate sleep quality.
Cognitive symptoms in MDD might be multidimensional and addressed in some cases by new pharmacological strategies10,11. Several cognitive assessment tools suitable for MDD have emerged in recent years12. THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it; henceforth referred to as the cognitive screening tool), a validated cognitive screening tool developed by Hou et al.13, is composed of a subjective questionnaire (perceived deficits questionnaire, PDQ-5) and four objective cognitive tests (choice reaction time, 1-back, digit symbol substitution, and trail making part-B). It is considered a time-efficient, acceptable method for detecting cognitive deficits in patients with MDD14. There are two other tools commonly used to assess cognitive function in patients with MDD: the Screen for Cognitive Impairments in Psychiatry-D (SCIP-D) and Cognitive Complaints in Bipolar Disorder Rating Assessment (COBRA)12. The former is an objective tool lacking self-instructed testing, and the latter is a subjective tool lacking an objective version. The constituent tests also differ between these tools. The SCIP-D is comprised of five objective tests: verbal learning, working memory, verbal fluency, delayed memory, and processing speed. The COBRA includes executive function, processing speed and attention, verbal learning and memory, and visual memory12. The recently developed Chinese version of the cognitive screening tool has been confirmed to be a good tool for evaluating cognitive deficits in Chinese patients with MDD15. Thus, using the cognitive screening tool software and PSG, the current study tried to reveal the relationship between cognitive symptoms and SD in MDD patients.

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

In this study, gold standard polysomnography was used to assess sleep quality and the validated cognitive screening tool was used to evaluate cognitive function in major depressive disorder patients. Thinking to recently developed Chinese version of the connecting screening tools has been confirmed to be a good tool for evaluation connective defects in Chinese patients with major depressive disorder. The current study reveals the close relationship between cognitive symptoms and sleep disorders in major depressive disorder patients.

Evaluating Cognitive Function in Patients with MDD Using a Cognitive Screening Tool

To begin, explain the procedure to the Then double click the THINC-it button to start the software. Enter the name, age, gender, dominant hand, educational level, and location. And click the begin test button.To evaluate subjective cognitive deficits, guide the patient to complete the perception deficits questionnaire. Read aloud, During the past seven days, how often did you have trouble getting things organized? And instruct the participant to choose one of the five response options.Read the next question. During the past seven days, how often did you have trouble concentrating on what you were reading? And instruct the participant to choose one of the five response options.Again, read the question, During the past seven days, how often did you forget the date unless you looked it up? And allow the participant to choose their response. Read the question, During the past seven days, how often did you forget what you talked about after a telephone conversation?And let the participant choose their response. Finally, read aloud, During the past seven days, how often did you feel like your mind went totally blank? And instruct the participant to choose one of the five response options.Click the Okay button to finish the assessment. Using this protocol, 20 participants were evaluated for cognitive function using cognitive screening scores, such as PDQ-5, SPO, SC, CB, and TMT-B.

evaluating-cognitive-function-patients-with-mdd-using-cognitive

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Cognitive symptoms and sleep disturbance (SD) are common non-mood-related symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). In clinical practice, both cognitive symptoms and SD are related to MDD progression. However, there are only a few studies investigating the connection between cognitive symptoms and SD in patients with MDD, and only preliminary evidence suggests a significant association between cognitive symptoms and SD in patients with mood disorders. This study investigates the relationship between cognitive symptoms and sleep quality in patients with major depressive disorder. Patients (n = 20) with MDD were enrolled; their mean Hamilton Depression Scale-17 score was 21.95 (&plusmn;2.76). Gold standard polysomnography (PSG) was used to assess sleep quality, and the validated THINC-integrated tool (the cognitive screening tool) was used to evaluate cognitive function in MDD patients. Overall, the results showed significant correlations between the cognitive screening tool's total score and sleep latency, wake-after-sleep onset, and sleep efficiency. These findings indicate that cognitive symptoms are associated with poor sleep quality among patients with MDD.

Here, we present a protocol that investigates the relationship between cognitive symptoms and sleep quality in patients with major depressive disorder. The THINC-integrated tool and polysomnography were used to evaluate cognitive symptoms and sleep quality.

Cognitive symptoms and sleep disturbance (SD) are common non-mood-related symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). In clinical practice, both ...

Polysomnography Procedure to Assess Sleep Quality in Patients with MDD

To begin, collect the participant's demographics and instruct them to complete the Epworth Sleeping Scale. Lead the participant to the sleep monitoring room. Next, connect 15 electrodes of the electroencephalogram according to the International 1020 system of electrode placement.Also, connect the two derivations of Electrogram near the participant's eyes. Three derivations of Chin electromyogram, and two derivations of electrocardiogram. To acquire data, start the software by double clicking on device manager.Double click the room option, add the personal information of the participant and click OK.Click start recording, followed by the calibration button. Instruct the participant to perform according to the step-by-step calibration procedure. Keep the derivations in the correct position and collect the data for the entire night.On the next day, wake the participant by turning on the light of the sleep monitoring room. For post calibration, click the calibration button and instruct the participant to repeat the step-by-Step calibration procedure. Then click the close button to stop recording.After recording, remove all the derivations, avoiding skin damage. Next, start the scoring system by double clicking the profusion PSG four button. Select the participant and click the scoring button.Select the scoring automatically option to score sleep phases and arousals. Click the create button and lay out the results. Review the variables like time in bed, total sleep time, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, and REM latency according to the PSG data and waves.