[Antidepressive agents and somatic complaints]

Somatic complaints are core symptoms of depressive illness. Although none can be said to be specific, some combinations appear typical of depression. In the field of somatic complaints, depression constitutes a factor of good prognosis because of a positive response to antidepressants. On the other hand, in the field of depression, somatic complaints constitute a factor of poor prognosis and of resistance to treatment. Peripherally to depression, the clinical picture of anxiety, somatoform disorders and hypochondriasis contains somatic complaints. Anxiety is less refractory to treatment than somatoform disorders and somatoform disorders less than hypochondriasis. Antidepressants are a major treatment in those cases. No study could identify a mechanism of action but dopaminergic antidepressants could be particularly interesting. Ohayon and Caulet reported the efficacy of amoxapine in a population of 134 patients with somatic complaints and diagnoses of depression, anxiety or somatoform disorders.