It’s not much of a secret that depressive disorders can affect a person’s mood, appetite, and energy level. But the cognitive effects of these conditions aren’t as widely known. For example, can depression cause memory loss?
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Can Depression Cause Memory Loss?
Let’s address this question right up front: Can depression cause memory loss? Yes, it most definitely can.
Not everyone who has depression will struggle with memory loss. But for those who do, the impact can be highly disruptive, causing (or worsening) problems at work, in school, and in the context of their personal life.
Why Does Depression Affect Memory?
The question, can depression cause memory loss, has a simple answer. But the question of why depression affects memory is a bit more complex.
As noted in the previous section, not everyone who develops depression is affected in the same way. Even among those who have memory problems, the severity of the challenge can vary considerably. This suggests that several factors may be involved.
Four factors that may play an influential role, either directly or indirectly, are brain changes, abnormal sleep patterns, medication side effects, and substance abuse.
Changes in the brain
Depression-related brain changes and memory disruptions were addressed in a January 2018 article in the journal Trends in Neurosciences.
Part of that article focused on the hippocampus, which plays a key role in declarative and episodic memory (including the recall of objective facts, personal experiences, and specific events). The article noted that reduced hippocampal volume in the brains of people with depression is “one of the most reliable structural findings in psychiatric imaging.”
However, the authors noted that experts have not yet established a definitive cause-effect relationship between depressive disorders and diminished hippocampal volume.
One theory is that reduced volume in this part of the brain may precede the onset of depression symptoms. A second theory is that major life stressors, which are risk factors for depression, may also have a structural impact on the hippocampus, leading to volume reductions and memory impairments.
Abnormal sleep patterns
Insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, is a common symptom of depression. And sleep deprivation has long been associated with a range of cognitive problems, including memory loss.
As described in a May 2023 article in the peer-reviewed, open access journal Clocks & Sleep, sleep is vital time for the brain’s ability to maintain and strengthen several memory functions.
Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, has been linked with decreased hippocampal functioning during the encoding period, when a person is awake and their brain is converting sensory information into memories. This disrupts the brain’s ability to retrieve stored memories – a problem that can be caused by as little as one night of insufficient sleep.
Medication side effects
Various prescription medications have proved to be quite beneficial at improving mood and alleviating other common depression symptoms. But these medications can also sometimes cause unpleasant side effects, including memory loss.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) appear to pose the greatest risk of memory problems. This category includes several frequently prescribed meds, including fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).
An August 2016 study in Psychiatry Journal explored the memory-related impact of SSRIs on patients who were taking the medication to treat either depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The team that conducted this study reported that participants who received SSRIs showed “statistically significant memory loss” during eight weeks of treatment. This result was consistent regardless of the participants’ age or gender.
Substance abuse
Prescription antidepressants aren’t the only types of drugs that can contribute to memory loss. As described in an October 2023 review in Neurochemistry International, substance abuse and addiction can both lead to memory impairments.
Unfortunately, the misuse of alcohol and other mind-altering drugs is far from uncommon among people who have depression. For example, an April 2020 meta-analysis in the Journal of Affective Disorders reported that 25% of people who have major depressive disorder also have a co-occurring substance use disorder (which is the clinical term for addiction).
Addiction and depression have a bidirectional influence on each other. In some cases, people who have depression turn to substances in an attempt to alleviate their emotional distress. In other cases, the devastation of compulsive substance use can precede the onset of depression.
Regardless of which disorder occurred first, misusing substances for any reason may cause or worsen memory loss among people who have depressive disorders.
Learn More About Depression Treatment in Atlanta, GA
Untreated depression can have a profound negative impact on virtually every part of your life, including your memory and other cognitive functions. But depressive disorders are treatable conditions. When you get the right type of care, you can experience true relief from your symptoms and begin to live a healthier and more hopeful life.
Buckhead Behavioral Health is a trusted source of personalized outpatient care for adults who have been living with depression and other mental health concerns. We also provide dual diagnosis services for clients with co-occurring substance use disorders.
Treatment options include outpatient detox, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), an evening IOP, and a virtual IOP.
Our team will work closely with you to understand how you have been affected by your struggles with depression, so that we can be sure you receive the focused services that best align with your unique history, needs, and goals.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
