Related Experiment Videos
Symptoms of interpersonal sensitivity in depression
J Davidson1, S Zisook, E Giller
1Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|September 1, 1989
Summary
Higher interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) in depressed patients correlates with more severe depression symptoms and atypical features. These patients also show better response to MAO inhibitor drugs compared to placebo.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) is a personality trait.
- Its role in major depressive disorder (MDD) requires further elucidation.
- Understanding IPS may refine depression diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between interpersonal sensitivity and depression severity.
- To explore the relationship between IPS and specific depressive symptoms and features.
- To examine the impact of IPS on treatment response in depressed outpatients.
Main Methods:
- Six self-rated items assessed interpersonal sensitivity (IPS) in 174 depressed outpatients.
- Patients were stratified into tertiles based on pretreatment IPS scores.
- Correlations were analyzed between IPS levels and depression severity, symptoms, and treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- High IPS levels were linked to earlier onset and greater chronicity of depression.
- Elevated IPS scores correlated with higher Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) scores and more severe mood, guilt, and suicidality.
- Patients with high IPS exhibited more frequent atypical depressive features and improved response to monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors versus placebo.
Conclusions:
- Interpersonal sensitivity is a significant correlate of depression severity and symptom profile.
- High IPS may predict a distinct subtype of depression with atypical features.
- IPS levels can inform treatment selection, suggesting MAO inhibitors may be more effective for sensitive depressed patients.