Cognitive signatures of conditional reasoning dysfunction in major depression

Core Tip

Core Tip: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most pressing global mental health challenges, affecting hundreds of millions of individuals across all cultures and socioeconomic strata. While the affective and motivational dimensions of depression have long been emphasized, the cognitive dimension of the disorder has increasingly attracted attention. Within this cognitive framework, the study by Li et al represents an important milestone. Li et al’s investigation marks a significant step in unpacking the cognitive signatures of depression. By illuminating the electrophysiological correlates of conditional reasoning deficits, it moves beyond documenting behavioral inefficiency to uncovering the neural mechanisms that underlie impaired cognition in MDD. This line of research has the potential not only to refine our theoretical understanding of depression but also to inspire novel, targeted interventions.