Computerized Cognitive Remediation for Geriatric Depression

This is an interventional treatment trial for Major Depressive Disorder focused on measuring Executive Dysfunction, Cognitive Remediation, Geriatric, Depression Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

Medicated Depressed Participants' Inclusion Criteria

1. Age: 60-89 years
2. Diagnosis: Major depression, unipolar (by DSM-IV criteria);
3. Severity of depression: MADRS >or =15 following at least 8-weeks of controlled antidepressant treatment.
4. No plans to change current antidepressant treatment.

Non-Medicated Depressed Participants' Inclusion Criteria

1. Age: 60-89 years
2. Diagnosis: Major depression, unipolar (by DSM-IV criteria);
3. Severity of depression: MADRS >or =15
4. No antidepressant treatment within the current episode. -

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Psychotic depression by DSM-IV, i.e., presence of delusions with a score higher than 2 (questionable delusion) rated by the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) [47];
2. High suicide risk, i.e. intent or plan to attempt suicide in near future;
3. Presence of any Axis I psychiatric disorder (other than unipolar major depression) or substance abuse; Axis II diagnosis of antisocial personality (by SCID-P and DSM-IV);
4. History of psychiatric disorders other than unipolar major depression or generalized anxiety disorder (bipolar disorder, hypomania, and dysthymia are exclusion criteria);
5. Dementia: Mattis Dementia Rating Scale scores below 130 or diagnosis of dementia by DSM-IV; multiple sclerosis, history of head trauma or history of electroconvulsive therapy;
6. Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (a-MCI), or Multiple Domain Mild Cognitive Impairment (md-MCI);
7. Acute or severe medical illness, i.e., delirium, metastatic cancer, decompensated cardiac, liver or kidney failure, major surgery, stroke or myocardial infarction during the three months prior to entry; or drugs known to cause depression, e.g., reserpine, alpha-methyl-dopa, steroids, sympathomimetics withdrawal;
8. Presence of a neurological brain disease and/or history of electroconvulsive therapy;
9. Current involvement in psychotherapy;
10. Inability to perform any of the ADLs (MAI: ADL subscale) even with assistance, e.g. walking with a cane is not an exclusion criterion;
11. Inability to speak English;
12. Aphasia;
13. Corrected visual acuity < 20/70; Color blindness -