[Clinical and endocrinological aspects of delusional depression]

A comparative study of 26 delusional depressive patients versus 47 non-delusional depressed controls is presented. In addition to the clinical evaluation, the dexamethasone suppression test was performed. The results show higher severity and increased retardation in the delusional sample. The breakdown of delusions demonstrates that the most common delusions were of reference and guilt. Multiple delusions were found more frequently than one type of delusions. The D.S.T. results show no significant differences between the rates of abnormal responses in both groups. However in the delusional depressive sample with mood-incongruency there was a higher percentage of normal responses.