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Mirabolfathi V, Moradi A, Bakhtiari M. Emotional Working Memory in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression. Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2016; 17 (4) :33-44
URL: http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-356-en.html

Introduction: Different capacity in performing cognitive tasks with emotional components amongst normal subjects and those with emotional disorders as well as the disparity in verbal and visual information processing for the same, warrant the study of emotional working memory capacity in patients with major depressive- (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Method: This Ex post-facto research enrolled four groups including individuals with PTSD, MDD, non- PTSD and a control group which each comprising 14 participants. Participants were selected through the convenience sampling method. The four applied assessment tools were the semi-structured diagnostic interviews for PTSD, the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R) questionnaire, Beck’s Depression Inventory (BD), and a computer version of the visual-emotional working memory capacity task. One-way analysis of variation (ANOVA) was used upon statistical analysis.
Results: Results revealed significant differences in total visual working memory capacity between PTSD, non- PTSD, and control group. In addition, the difference between PTSD and non- PTSD groups and depressed and non- PTSD groups in trauma-related distracters were significant.
 Conclusion: It can be concluded that impaired visual working memory capacity can be considered as a risk factor for re-experiencing symptoms in patients with PTSD. In addition, weak cognitive control in patients with PTSD and MDD can be considered as a premorbid factor in this group