University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Neuropsychological concomitants of major depression

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      nq23994.pdf (5.866Mb)
      Date
      1997-01-01
      Author
      Hillis, Sarah
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Doctoral
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      The limits of the cognitive deficits associated with depression were investigated with a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests. In addition, the various perspectives regarding the mechanism responsible for the cognitive changes were investigated using a dual-task paradigm. By comparing a clinically depressed group and a non-depressed control group as they performed a finger tapping task and either a simultaneous automatic or a relatively attention-demanding cognitive task, it was possible to address the issue of depression-related decreases in processing capacity. The proportional change in tapping rate, in the dual-task condition, relative to the single-task condition, served as an indicator of the resources necessary to perform the cognitive task. By comparing responsiveness to a task emphasis manipulation, designed to shift priority from a manual to a cognitive task, it was possible to address the issue of resource allocation. Finally, by comparing left- and right-hand decrement scores during simultaneous performance of either a verbal or a spatial task, it was possible to address the issue of hemispheric specialization. The results do not provide strong support for the theory of a decrease in central capacity in major depression. Instead, the findings are suggestive of a capacity limitation specific to processing spatial information. As such, the findings are more consistent with a multiple resource model of attention. In addition, the results offer some support for the model of impaired allocation of attentional resources in response to task demands. Finally, the results are suggestive of atypical hemispheric involvement when processing information in the depressed state.
      Degree
      Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
      Department
      Psychology
      Program
      Psychology
      Committee
      Crossley, Margaret
      Copyright Date
      January 1997
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-10212004-000434
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy