[Mental pathology in the families of patients with endogenous non-psychotic depression]

Two equal samples each including 23 probands with nonpsychotic depressions within the framework of cyclothymia and sluggish schizophrenia and their relatives of the first degree kinship were examined. It has been established that the cyclothymic proband in the families is at high risk for endogenous affective disorders whereas during sluggish schizophrenia, the risk of mental diseases is not limited by cyclothymia. The probands' relatives may also be attributed to a group at risk for schizophrenia. The data obtained may be interpreted as pathogenetic evidence of the clinical differentiation of endogenous nonpsychotic depressions. Alcoholism and psychopathy loads in the families examined are under discussion.