Assessing Neurocognition (P300) and Correlating Them to Depression Rating Scales in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Background: Major depression is a chronic condition that may affect cognition. Cognitive disturbances may affect clinical scales used to assess the severity of depression. Aims: To find an association between cognitive disturbance as objectively recorded using event-related potentials (P300) with the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAM-D) and Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) in newly diagnosed cases of major depression. Methods and material: A cross-sectional study with a sample size of 46 diagnosed cases of major depression. The assessment was done using the HAM-D and MADRS. The P300 assessment was done with the auditory oddball paradigm using the Nihon Kohden NCV-SMG-EP system (Tokyo, Japan). Statistical analysis: Pearson correlation analysis was used to study the association between various parameters of P300 and the HAM-D and MADRS depression rating scales. Results: A significant correlation was found between A21- P300 amplitude Cz and the MADRS score. No significant correlation was seen between other P300 parameters and HAM-D and MADRS scales. Conclusions: As the results were objectively recorded using various parameters of event-related potentials (P300), cognitive impairment was not significantly associated with depression rating scales i.e., the HAM-D and MADRS scores.