[Considerations on respective roles of anxiety and depressive disorders in children]

Anxiety and depression are often clinically associated in children, but are very different in term of effect and symptoms. Family studies favor the hypothesis of a common diathesis for these disorders. Parental history of major depressive and/or anxiety disorders increase the risk of mood and anxiety disorders in children. At the present time, biological studies have not determined any biochemical conclusion for these disorders. It should be noted that although imipramine is efficient in both depressive disorder and separation anxiety, this does not implicate a common physiopathologic basis.