It is easy to think about the high personal, economic and social cost that it entails, and the relevance of finding effective treatments that help those affected to overcome it. There are, of course, various pharmacological treatments that contribute to the improvement of some symptoms. Also from Psychology, approaches have been developed that favor both the improvement of symptoms and the prevention of relapses. However, researchers in this field do not rest in their efforts to find new methods of effective treatment. In this sense, we find a recent publication in the Journal of Affective Disorders (2016) about a somewhat particular and rare way of treating depression: cognitive computer training.
The aim of the article, published by Jeffrey N. Motter and a group of collaborators from various North American entities, was to systematically review and analyze the results of studies on the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training in the treatment of depression. A total of 9 randomized trials were included in this review (where participants with depression were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group). The researchers analyzed the effect of the training of cognitive capacities such as attention, memory or executive functions by computer, not only on said mental capacities but also on other variables such as the severity of the symptoms of depression or the daily functioning of the participants depressed.
Is it useful to train the brain to improve depression?
It seems that working on cognitive functions by computer is useful in the treatment of various symptoms of depression and its consequences. The researchers found a moderate to large size effect of training on participants’ attention span, working memory, and global functioning, which generally improved with training in the various experiments reviewed. In addition, they found a small to moderate effect of computer-based cognitive training on the severity of symptoms and on the patients’ ability to function on a daily basis.
Although much research remains to be done in this field, it seems that training the mental capacities through computerized programs is useful in the treatment of depression. It would be an accessible way to offer help to patients and, why not, a training in the form of brain games would also be more enjoyable and attractive. The possibilities that open up both in the clinic and in research are vast and interesting, and new research will shed more light on this form of treatment.
Marisa Fernández Sánchez, Senior Neuropsychologist, Unobrain
