Associative memory and memory complaints in people with first episode of depression: use of the Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME)

Abstract

El objetivo del estudio es evaluar la memoria asociativa y las quejas de memoria en la vida diaria en personas con un Primer Episodio de Depresión (FED). Se trata de un estudio piloto preliminar con diseño observacional. Se reclutaron y evaluaron treinta participantes: quince pacientes (FED) y 15 sanos (HCtrl). El reclutamiento se realizó en Unidades de Salud Mental entre 2021 y 2022. Se utilizaron los criterios diagnósticos del DSM-5 y la Entrevista Neuropsiquiátrica Internacional (MINI) para diagnosticar la depresión. Las pruebas cognitivas utilizadas fueron el Examen de Memoria Asociativa de Nombres y Caras (FNAME), el Cuestionario de Memoria de la Vida Diaria (MFE-30) y el Test de Evaluación Cognitiva de Montreal (MoCA). Los pacientes con FED mostraron una puntuación media significativamente mayor en el MFE-30 que los HCtrl, pero no se observaron diferencias significativas en el FNAME. Además, no se observaron correlaciones significativas entre el rendimiento de la memoria subjetiva (MFE-30) y la objetiva (FNAME). Se observó una disociación entre la percepción de las dificultades de memoria de los pacientes con FED y su memoria medida objetivamente. (Registro de base de datos PsycInfo (c) 2025 APA, todos los derechos reservados)

The aim of the study is to assesses associative memory and memory complaints in daily life in people with a First Episode of Depression (FED). This is a preliminary pilot study with observational design. Thirty participants were recruited and assessed: fifteen patients (FED) and 15 healthy (HCtrl) participants. The recruitment was from Mental Health Units between 2021 to 2022. DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were used to diagnose depression. The cognitive tests used were face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME), daily life memory questionnaire (MFE-30), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA). FED patients showed mean score compared to the HCtrl significantly higher on the MFE-30, but there were no significant differences in the FNAME. Furthermore, the results no significant correlations were observed between subjective (MFE-30) and objective (FNAME) memory performance. We observed a dissociation between FED patients’ perception of memory difficulties and their objectively measured memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)