NCMD Research Seminar Series 30th January 2026

NCMD Research Seminar Series 30th January 206

Speaker: Dr Jennifer Burgess, ST5 Psychiatry and PhD Student, Newcastle University

Presentation: Sleep and cognition in Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent condition, frequently chronic or treatment resistant, and is characterised not only by affective symptoms but also by marked cognitive and sleep disturbances. A substantial proportion of individuals with MDD exhibit impairments across multiple cognitive domains—particularly attention, memory, and executive function—which are associated with poorer psychosocial functioning and increased suicide risk. Sleep disturbance is almost universal in depression, with objective alterations in sleep architecture including reduced sleep efficiency, shortened REM latency, and increased nocturnal awakenings, and is itself an independent risk factor for functional impairment and suicidality. Evidence from both primary sleep disorders and experimental sleep restriction demonstrates that disrupted sleep adversely affects cognition, especially attention and executive control. Emerging studies suggest that, in depression, objectively measured poor sleep efficiency is associated with slower processing speed and executive dysfunction, though findings remain limited, particularly in working-age adults. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying these relationships are poorly understood, but alterations in white matter microstructure—implicated separately in MDD, cognitive performance, and sleep quality—represent a promising avenue of investigation. Overall, the interrelationships between mood, sleep, cognition, and brain connectivity remain insufficiently characterised, highlighting a critical need for integrative research to inform novel pathophysiological models and therapeutic targets.

I have worked with the NCMD for over eight years, first as an ACF and now as a Newcastle University PhD student.