Depression in Schizophrenia.
- Author:
Kyung Hwan KWAK
1
;
Doo Byoung PARK
;
Tae Young CHOI
;
Kyung Jun MIN
;
Young Sik LEE
;
Baik Seok KEE
;
Chul NA
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, The Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Schizophrenia;
Depression;
BDI;
HDRS;
PANSS
- MeSH:
Antipsychotic Agents;
Depression*;
Humans;
Population Characteristics;
Prevalence;
Schizophrenia*
- From:Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
2002;41(3):421-429
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The heterogeneity of symptomatology within the group of schizophrenias is still a major obstacle for defining clinically useful subgroups of these disorders. One of these symptoms is depression. Recently there is a growing evidence suggesting that depressive symptoms and related mood disturbances are important in treating schizophrenia. This is so because of the improvement of such side effects as extrapyramidal symptoms with increasing use of atypical antipsychotics. Although depression is known to be a serious problem of many schizophrenic patients, the nature and course of depression in schizophrenia remain unknown. METHODS: The author examined the depressive features in 31 patients with schizophrenia. Ratings on the PANSS, BDI and HDRS were obtained. Eighteen percent of the total patients had BDI score above 21, considered depressed. RESULTS: There were no differences in BDI, HDRS and PANSS-D between positive symptom group and negative symptom group. There was also no correlation between subject scale(BDI) and objective scales(HDRS, PANSS-D). CONCLUSIONS: Depression in schizophrenia needs intensive studies. It is also considered as another heterogeneous domain beside negative or positive symptom domains. Out of respect for the high prevalence and serious outcome of depression in schizophrenia, a more differentiated assessment, analysis, and treatment of depressive symptom is recommended.
