Visual pattern integration as a function of antidepressant medication in depressed patients.

On the basis of an earlier study that reported depressed patients to be superior to normal control subjects in visual iconic integration, the present investigation sought to determine if this finding was replicable and if medication produced it. Newly admitted depressed patients entering drug treatment, depressed patients already in drug treatment, and healthy control subjects were twice tested, with a 5-week interval between sessions. Fully medicated depressed patients, whether newly admitted or already in drug treatment, were superior to normal control subjects in visual integration, and healthy control subjects were superior to depressed patients just entering treatment. At the first testing, the number of days of medication treatment was significantly correlated with the adequacy of visual integration.