Introduction: Major depressive disorder, one of the most prevalent mental disorders, is associated with cognitive impairment across multiple domains, including processing speed, memory, executive function, verbal fluency, and attention. Although several studies suggest a link between depression severity and the extent of cognitive deficits, findings remain inconsistent. The last systematic review on this association, published in 2009, was limited in scope (e.g., inclusion limited to cross-sectional designs, moderators not considered). Since then, a substantial body of literature has emerged, yielding comprehensive synthesis. Purpose: This meta-analysis aims to determine the strength of the association between depression severity and cognitive impairment in different cognitive domains, investigate whether this relationship differs across depressive states (acute vs. remitted), and evaluate the influence of potential moderators. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Embase using variations of keywords related to depression, cognition, and correlation. In total, 19,706 records were identified and after duplicate removal, 10,725 were screened by title and abstract, with 1,951 retained for full-text review. Eligible studies reported correlations between depression severity and cognitive variables or provided sufficient data (means, standard deviations, sample sizes) to calculate correlations. When available, data on moderators such as the number of previous episodes and current treatment are being extracted. Results: Full-text screening and data extraction are ongoing. To date, most extracted studies provide sufficient data to calculate correlations, and many include information on potential moderators. The meta-analysis will be completed, and results will be presented at the conference. Conclusions: By including both reported correlations and calculated correlations, as well as potential moderators, this review expands on previous work. Findings are expected to provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between cognitive impairment and depression, with implications for relapse prevention and treatment strategies.