Anxiety and depression linked to reduced cognitive flexibility and decision-making

This review analyzed data from multiple studies to look at how anxiety and depression affect thinking skills. The researchers found that people with these conditions showed reduced cognitive flexibility and decision-making compared to others. No significant differences were found between anxiety and depression for these specific outcomes. The analysis combined results from a large amount of data, but the researchers anticipated a large amount of between-subject heterogeneity. This means the results might vary across different groups or settings. No safety concerns or adverse events were reported in this analysis. Readers should understand that this is a meta-analysis of existing studies rather than a new clinical trial. The findings show an association between mental health conditions and these thinking skills, but do not prove that one causes the other. More research is needed to confirm these links and understand the full picture.