Comparison of time perception between subjects with major depression disorder and normal subjects using emotional stimuli

Depression is a mood disorder that changes the individual's subjective experience of time. On the other hand, emotion can affect time perception, which its importance in performing activities and projecting future is well known to everyone. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of different emotional stimuli (happy, sad and neutral) on the time perception in people with and without major depression disorder (MDD).
The current research was an analytical descriptive study. Fifteen patients with major depressive disorder with psychiatric diagnosis referred to psychiatric clinics of Najaf Abad were selected randomly using the convenience sampling and. The control group contained 15 people without mental disorders. Two groups were matched in terms of demographic characteristics. For a better understanding of the subjects, from each person took Beck depression inventory before time perception task, then time perception task in the four stages was taken for them.
The results showed that time discrimination between two groups was significantly different and oddball stimuli were underestimated by the MDD group.
The mood of sadness in depressive individuals is associated with the slowing of the internal clock speed, internal clock runs more slowly than normal in depressive people that can lead to underestimation of time. Also, attention-deficit disorder in depressive patients has been proved that can cause time distortions and reducing sensitivity to time and, in turn, disrupt time discrimination in these people.