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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairment. To elucidate the relationship, Canadian investigators conducted a meta-analysis of 54 nonoverlapping studies using 284 measures of cognitive performance in 3246 nondepressed first-degree relatives of people with MDD and 5222 controls with no family history of MDD (mean age, 15 in both groups). Overall cognitive performance, as well as performance on specific domains, such as intelligence, memory, academic performance, and language, were slightly but significantly worse in relatives of MDD patients. Some other domains, such as attention, processing speed, and executive function, were no different between groups.