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Depression spectrum disease with and without depression in first-degree relatives
A J Rush1, F Feldman-Koffler, J E Weissenburger
1Mental Health Clinical Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9101, USA.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|December 13, 1995
Summary
Family history impacts major depression subtypes. Patients with a family history of both depression and alcoholism (DSDA + D) showed earlier onset and more episodes than those with only an alcoholism history (DSDA).
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Family history is crucial in understanding major depressive disorder.
- Winokur et al. (1978) proposed a family history typology for classifying depression.
- Subtyping depression based on familial alcoholism and depression is an area of research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare demographic, clinical, and biological characteristics of major depression patients based on family history.
- To investigate differences between Depression Spectrum Disease with Alcoholism and Depression (DSDA + D) and Depression Spectrum Disease with Alcoholism (DSDA).
- To compare these groups with Familial Pure Depressive Disease (FPDD).
Main Methods:
- Assessed family history in 211 outpatients with unipolar major depression.
- Classified patients using Winokur et al. (1978) family history typology.
- Compared DSDA + D (n=103), DSDA (n=108), and FPDD (n=162) groups on various characteristics.
Main Results:
- The DSDA + D group was younger, had an earlier age of depression onset, and more episodes than the DSDA group.
- No biological differences were found between DSDA + D and DSDA groups.
- FPDD shared similarities with DSDA + D in age of onset and episode number, but had a longer illness duration.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest distinct clinical trajectories for depression subtypes based on family history.
- The DSDA + D group exhibits a more severe and earlier onset depression profile.
- Future research should consider a narrower definition for the Depression Spectrum Disease group, excluding positive family history of depression.