Effects of depressed mood on objective and subjective measures of attention.

People with depression report frequent cognitive failures, but objective measures of cognition show mixed results. Some studies show impairment on effortful tasks. The relationship between subjective and objective cognitive failures was studied in 102 "depressed" or "nondepressed" UK servicemen, grouped by Beck Depression Inventory scores with a cutoff score of 10.

Cognitive functioning and disturbances of mood in UK veterans of the Persian Gulf War: a comparative study.

Background: Complaints of poor memory and concentration are common in veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War as are other symptoms. Despite a large research effort, such symptoms remain largely unexplained.

Method: A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests and rating scales was administered to 341 UK servicemen who were returnees from the Gulf War and peace keeping duties in Bosnia, plus non-deployed military controls.