Episodic memory and executive functions on olders with depressed symptoms

Abstract

Researches have shown that depressive symptoms among elderly people are related to the compromising of different cognitive functions, among them memory and executive functions. This study aimed to analyze and compare standards of performance on older with depressed symptoms on different tests of episodic memory and executive functions. The study included 56 individuals, of both gender, divided in two groups: older with out depressed symptoms (n=35) and older with depressed symptoms (n=21). In test of immediate episodic memory, the group of older with out symptoms depressed demonstrated learning significantly better than the older with symptoms depressed. As for the performance on executive functions, the statistical analysis did not reveal significant differences between the groups. This finding suggests that older with depressive symptoms present impairment of episodic memory, however not on executive functions.