Cognitive Computer Training in Patients With Depression

Cognitive impairment plays an important role in functional recovery and leads to long-term sickness absence. Therefore there is a need of a treatment specifically improving cognitive functions. In this pilot study the investigators aim to evaluate the feasibility of using cognitive computer training in patients with unipolar depression to enhance cognitive performance. Further the investigators investigate whether this intervention shortens sick leave.

This study will evaluate cognitive computer training on patients in remission from depression by measuring the compliance and effect, investigating whether patients returned earlier to work and examine patients' physical and psychological health. This is done by comparing an intervention group and a control group. Outpatients from psychiatric department Odense in Denmark will be recruited from December 2015 to July 2017. At enrolment the participants wil be randomized 1:1 to either the intervention group or the control group. After the participants will complete a clinical interview and answer the The Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. The participants' cognitive function and depression severity will be measured at baseline and three months follow-up. At nine months follow-up the participants will receive an email with the SF-36 questionnaire and questions about their education and work status, which they were required to answer. The intervention is a cognitive computer program, consisting of different computer games. The intervention will start at enrolment and finish at the three months follow-up. The participants in the intervention group will do trainings session lasting 10-20 minutes three times a week. Each participant ends up with a total of 36 training sessions.

This is the intervention group receiving cognitive computer training three times a week for three months.

COGNIFIT is cognitive computer training. Its purpose is to improve cognitive function and is designed to accommodate each individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The cognitive computer training last three months and must be done three times a week, in session lasting 10-20 minutes.

Questionnaire about employment status and will be send to the participants via email at nine months follow-up. The questionnaire include questions according to: current working situation; why they are not working; when they started working; do they work at the same workplace; do they have the same work assignments as before they got ill; do whey work the same number of hour as before the got ill.

The difference in concentration from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The difference in attention from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group

The difference in working memory from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The difference in learning from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The difference in executive function from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The difference in psychomotor speed from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The difference in executive function from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The participants were supposed to do 36 sessions of cognitive computer training during three months. The actual completed trainings sessions are available on the website of the cognitive computer training, called COGNIFIT. The compliance is defined as the percentage of actual completed training sessions of the 36 sessions of training.

The difference in health status from baseline to 9 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

The health status is measured by a patient-reported survey called the The Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire

The difference in depression severity from baseline to 3 months follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Inclusion Criteria: a diagnosis of a moderate to severe unipolar depression according to the International Classification of Diseases -10 criteria receiving antidepressant medicine completed their treatment for depression not be in any risk of suicide study or work on reduced hours, be unemployed or on long-term sickness leave at enrolment. Exclusion Criteria: neurological disease of the central nervous system alcohol or substance abuse pregnancy receiving disability pension receiving electroconvulsive therapy within the last 6 weeks.