Prefrontal cortical dysfunction in depression determined by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance.

OBJECTIVE: Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated reduced prefrontal cortical blood flow and metabolism in depression, but the neurobehavioral significance of these observations is not yet established. METHOD: The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a widely used neuropsychological index of prefrontal cortical function, was administered to 79 patients with major depression who had been unmedicated for at least 28 days, to 47 patients with schizophrenia who had never received antipsychotic medication, and to 61 healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: Depressed patients demonstrated significant deficits on multiple Wisconsin Card Sorting Test measures compared with healthy individuals. These deficits were correlated with the severity of depression and were less severe than those demonstrated by patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide neuropsychological evidence for significant prefrontal cortical dysfunction in depression.