Psychological profile of patients with Menière's disease

Forty-eight patients with Menière's disease underwent psychological assessment with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms. Using the presence or absence of recurrent vertigo or chronic dysequilibrium as the differentiating feature, the results of two groups were compared. A clinical diagnosis of depression (axis I) was evident in 80% of the patients with active vestibular symptoms examined by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and 70% by the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms compared with 32% (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) and 39% (Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms) in the inactive group. The data support the addition of depression to the clinical picture of active Menière's disease.