Depression Can Make It Hard to Think Clearly
- Jennifer Gerlach LCSW
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Depression can cloud the mind, but we can improve our ability to think clearly.
One mechanism of depression's effects on memory may involve neuroinflammation.
Neuroinflammation appears to disrupt functions of the hippocampus, an area of the brain key in memory.
Adaptive strategies and treatment may improve cognition in people experiencing depression.
What was her name? I could vividly picture her. I could remember all kinds of stories and times we shared. Why couldn't I think of her name? I put my head down, trying to figure out how I could find it. There it was, written in a book. I took a breath and moved on. I know what this is. No shame spirals today.
Depression Thinking
Most people are aware that depression can incite negative thinking. We become more pessimistic and self-critical when we are depressed. Yet, something less known is that depression can also affect your ability to think clearly.
If you feel like you are thinking more slowly and struggling to get things done while depressed, you are probably right. A systemic review found that individuals experiencing major depression consistently showed slower processing speed. They also had difficulties with executive functioning or engaging in the tasks necessary to plan or complete another task (Nuño and colleagues, 2021).
Other research has identified depression-related difficulties in cognitive domains as diverse as attention and long-term memory (Hammar and colleagues, 2022).
Yet, positively, many of these deficits appear to improve when a person reaches recovery from their depression (Kriesche and colleagues, 2023).
It's Not in Your Head, It's in Your Brain
Why does this happen? My undergraduate professors taught me that much of this relates to motivation. When we feel down, it is difficult to wrangle the energy to best engage our brain resources. Although such demoralization may play a role, more current research suggests there may be neurological reasons as well.
Research investigating how and why depression affects our ability to remember things and concentrate has suggested neuroinflammation as a possible mechanism. Specifically, neuroinflammation affecting the hippocampus, a brain region believed to be key in memory, appears to disrupt an important process. The hippocampus is one section of the brain capable of a fantastic process called neurogenesis, which creates new neurons and connections. Neuroinflammation linked to depression seems to inhibit this process (Wu and Zhang, 2023).
What Can You Do?
If you are struggling with cognitive symptoms of depression, you are not alone. Here are a few simple steps to tackle these frustrating challenges.
Self-Compassion
Difficulties with memory, attention, and processing speed set us up for self-criticism. Remember that these symptoms are part of depression. They aren't your fault. Give yourself the kindness you would give a friend. If you make a mistake, show grace. If you notice your mind spouting off unkind self-talk, respond to yourself with compassion.
2. Adaptive Strategies
During times of depression, utilizing all available tools can be helpful. Simple strategies like writing things down, setting phone alarms to remind you about important tasks, and giving yourself more breaks with high-demand cognitive tasks are ways you can work around depression's effects.
3. Ask for Help
Cognitive symptoms can be like an alarm signaling a need for help. Receiving support for your depression is vital. Many depression treatments, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (Luber and colleagues, 2014) and some medications (McIntyre and colleagues, 2014), have been demonstrated to address this class of symptoms.
References
Hammar, Å., Ronold, E. H., & Rekkedal, G. Å. (2022). Cognitive impairment and neurocognitive profiles in major depression—a clinical perspective. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 764374.
Kriesche, D., Woll, C. F., Tschentscher, N., Engel, R. R., & Karch, S. (2023). Neurocognitive deficits in depression: a systematic review of cognitive impairment in the acute and remitted state. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 273(5), 1105-1128.
McIntyre, R. S., Lophaven, S., & Olsen, C. K. (2014). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of vortioxetine on cognitive function in depressed adults. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 17(10), 1557-1567.
Luber, B., & Lisanby, S. H. (2014). Enhancement of human cognitive performance using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Neuroimage, 85, 961-970.
Nuño, L., Gómez-Benito, J., Carmona, V. R., & Pino, O. (2021). A systematic review of executive function and information processing speed in major depression disorder. Brain Sciences, 11(2), 147.
Wu, A., & Zhang, J. (2023). Neuroinflammation, memory, and depression: new approaches to hippocampal neurogenesis. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 20(1), 283.
