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Is low cognitive functioning a predictor or consequence of major depressive disorder? A test in two longitudinal birth cohorts.

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Title: Is low cognitive functioning a predictor or consequence of major depressive disorder? A test in two longitudinal birth cohorts.
Authors: Schaefer, Jonathan D. (AUTHOR), Scult, Matthew A. (AUTHOR), Caspi, Avshalom (AUTHOR), Arseneault, Louise (AUTHOR), Belsky, Daniel W. (AUTHOR), Hariri, Ahmad R. (AUTHOR), Harrington, Honalee (AUTHOR), Houts, Renate (AUTHOR), Ramrakha, Sandhya (AUTHOR), Poulton, Richie (AUTHOR), Moffitt, Terrie E. (AUTHOR)
Source: Development & Psychopathology. Dec2025, Vol. 37 Issue 5, p2251-2265. 15p.
Subjects: Mental depression, Cognitive ability, Philosophy of science, Cognition disorders, Cognition in children, Cohort analysis, Comorbidity, Pathological psychology
Abstract: Cognitive impairment has been identified as an important aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD). We tested two theories regarding the association between MDD and cognitive functioning using data from longitudinal cohort studies. One theory, the cognitive reserve hypothesis , suggests that higher cognitive ability in childhood decreases risk of later MDD. The second, the scarring hypothesis , instead suggests that MDD leads to persistent cognitive deficits following disorder onset. We tested both theories in the Dunedin Study, a population-representative cohort followed from birth to midlife and assessed repeatedly for both cognitive functioning and psychopathology. We also used data from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study to test whether childhood cognitive functioning predicts future MDD risk independent of family-wide and genetic risk using a discordant twin design. Contrary to both hypotheses, we found that childhood cognitive functioning did not predict future risk of MDD, nor did study members with a past history of MDD show evidence of greater cognitive decline unless MDD was accompanied by other comorbid psychiatric conditions. Our results thus suggest that low cognitive functioning is related to comorbidity, but is neither an antecedent nor an enduring consequence of MDD. Future research may benefit from considering cognitive deficits that occur during depressive episodes from a transdiagnostic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Development & Psychopathology is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Is low cognitive functioning a predictor or consequence of major depressive disorder? A test in two longitudinal birth cohorts.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Schaefer%2C+Jonathan+D%2E%22">Schaefer, Jonathan D.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Scult%2C+Matthew+A%2E%22">Scult, Matthew A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caspi%2C+Avshalom%22">Caspi, Avshalom</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arseneault%2C+Louise%22">Arseneault, Louise</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Belsky%2C+Daniel+W%2E%22">Belsky, Daniel W.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hariri%2C+Ahmad+R%2E%22">Hariri, Ahmad R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harrington%2C+Honalee%22">Harrington, Honalee</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Houts%2C+Renate%22">Houts, Renate</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ramrakha%2C+Sandhya%22">Ramrakha, Sandhya</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Poulton%2C+Richie%22">Poulton, Richie</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moffitt%2C+Terrie+E%2E%22">Moffitt, Terrie E.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Development+%26+Psychopathology%22">Development & Psychopathology</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 37 Issue 5, p2251-2265. 15p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+depression%22">Mental depression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+ability%22">Cognitive ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophy+of+science%22">Philosophy of science</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition+disorders%22">Cognition disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition+in+children%22">Cognition in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cohort+analysis%22">Cohort analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comorbidity%22">Comorbidity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pathological+psychology%22">Pathological psychology</searchLink>
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  Data: Cognitive impairment has been identified as an important aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD). We tested two theories regarding the association between MDD and cognitive functioning using data from longitudinal cohort studies. One theory, the cognitive reserve hypothesis , suggests that higher cognitive ability in childhood decreases risk of later MDD. The second, the scarring hypothesis , instead suggests that MDD leads to persistent cognitive deficits following disorder onset. We tested both theories in the Dunedin Study, a population-representative cohort followed from birth to midlife and assessed repeatedly for both cognitive functioning and psychopathology. We also used data from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study to test whether childhood cognitive functioning predicts future MDD risk independent of family-wide and genetic risk using a discordant twin design. Contrary to both hypotheses, we found that childhood cognitive functioning did not predict future risk of MDD, nor did study members with a past history of MDD show evidence of greater cognitive decline unless MDD was accompanied by other comorbid psychiatric conditions. Our results thus suggest that low cognitive functioning is related to comorbidity, but is neither an antecedent nor an enduring consequence of MDD. Future research may benefit from considering cognitive deficits that occur during depressive episodes from a transdiagnostic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Development & Psychopathology is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191386537
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        Value: 10.1017/S095457941700164X
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Philosophy of science
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              Text: Dec2025
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