•In an attempt to elucidate the memory deficit in depression, short-term memory and long-term memory were examined by means of a memory test battery in 26 hospitalized depressed patients. Their performance was compared with a matched control group and with the performance of those 20 patients who improved after 26 days of treatment with antidepressants. Results Indicate that depressed patients show marked impairment in short-term memory without an impairment in long-term memory. The greater the improvement of the clinical state, the greater the Improvement In short-term memory, whereas long-term memory was not influenced by the therapeutic success.