[Clinico-experimental study of daily variations in depressed patients]

Forty hospitalized depressive patients of both sexes with primary depressive syndrome and concomitant diurnal variations were investigated at defined times with the following method: special questionnaire on subjective evaluation of depressive diurnal variation (TSF), mood scale (Bf-S of v. Zerssen), Necker cube, tests of autonomic function (amount of saliva and circulatory variables), global assessment of the depth of depression.--The quantitative differentiation into diurnal variations of different extents undertaken by means of the TSF were validated by the daily difference of the Bf-S. Between the extent of the depressive diurnal variation and the nosological group as well as the depth of depression no relationship could be found. Also the rate of turning over the Necker cube did not show any alteration in the diurnal rhythmicity. On the other hand, the inverse diurnal rhythmicity of the amount of saliva, also according to the corresponding results in the literature, can be interpreted as influence of the depressive diurnal variation. The resting values of pulse rate and blood pressure followed the diurnal physiological rhythm, but in addition they revealed a quantitative influence of the depressive diurnal variation (amplification). No systematic influences could be demonstrated for the orthostatic values.--The results show that in this methodological procedure only a few variables could be demonstrated to be associated with the depressive diurnal variation. On the other hand, it could be proved that not only mental but also certain autonomic components of the depressive syndrome undergo an alteration with the depressive diurnal variation.