Despite impairments, depression can boost mental skills

By Staff Writer

Therapists agree that most common symptoms of depression impede cognitive functioning, but a new report shows that the condition may have some benefits too.

Patients diagnosed with depression showed better analytical reasoning and persistence skills than healthy subjects in a study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

To measure people's ability to perform sequential decision tasks, a team of researchers from universities in Switzerland, Germany and the U.S. created a computer game in which players tried to hire the best applicants in a simulated job search.

The winning players had the best judgement in identifying top candidates, knowing when to stop searching  and select the current applicant.

The researchers found that depressed individuals performed better than their non-depressed peers. Healthy participants searched through relatively few candidates before making a choice, but depressed participants searched more thoroughly and made better picks.

People with clinical depression can struggle to live on their own, and sometimes benefit by studying at therapeutic residential schools. The study results may lead to new treatments for their sadness, apathy and preoccupation.