Depressive Disorders

Cognitive Impairment in Adults With Depression Identified by THINC-it Screening Tool

Charlotte Galper
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older man on laptop
older man on laptop
Measuring cognitive function is important because it may be possible to improve it directly and independently by some treatment modalities.

The THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it) appears to be valid and sensitive to detect cognitive deficits of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) during a depressive episode and requires only 10 to 15 minutes to administer, researchers report in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.1

People age 18 to 65 years (n=100) with MDD were assessed with THINC-it during a major depressive episode of at least moderate severity. The results were compared with those of a matched group of healthy controls (n=100). The cognitive performance of 44% of the adults with MDD was at ≥1.0 standard deviation below that of the healthy controls on standardized mean scores of the THINC-it.

The researchers developed THINC-it—a computerized cognitive screening tool that assesses both objective and subjective cognitive measures—as a free, easy-to-administer measure that can be used by people with MDD.

In this study, based on a calculated composite score, the validity of the overall tool was judged to be acceptable (r=0.539, P <.001). The researchers point out that measuring cognitive function is important because it may be possible to improve it directly and independently by some treatment modalities.2-4

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References

  1. McIntyre RS, Best MW, Bowie CR, et al. The THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it) screening assessment for cognitive dysfunction: validation in patients with major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2017;78:873-881.
  2. Theunissen EL, Street D, Højer AM, Vermeeren A, van Oers A, Ramaekers JG. A randomized trial on the acute and steady-state effects of a new antidepressant, vortioxetine (Lu AA21004), on actual driving and cognition. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2013;93:493-501.
  3. McIntyre RS, Lophaven S, Olsen CK. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of vortioxetine on cognitive function in depressed adults. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014;17:1557-1567.
  4. Papakostas GI. Antidepressants and their effect on cognition in major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2015;76:e1046.