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Several decades of research have led to different hypotheses about cognitive functioning
in depression; one of the hypotheses states that there is altered functioning of the
hemispheres during a depressive episode. Lateralization studies have found diminished
neuropsychological functioning in depressive patients; especially right-hemisphere
functions seem impaired.
In our study we used conventional neuropsychological tests to study shifts in hemispheric
functioning. Neuropsychological testing before and after therapy in 52 (for the most
part therapy-resistant) depressives showed no substantial effects in lateralized functioning.
None of the measures enabled prediction of response to treatment; however 17 different
interaction variables were identified, five of which make an unique contribution.
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Article info
Publication history
Received in revised form:
December 6,
1995
Received:
February 4,
1994
Footnotes
This research was supported in part by grants from Ciba-Geigy AG, Switzerland and Wyeth BV, the Netherlands.
Identification
Copyright
© 1996 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc.
