Ravi Philip Rajkumar1, Balaji Bharadwaj2. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India. Electronic address: ravi.psych@gmail.com. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Dhat syndrome is a condition described in the Indian subcontinent, in which patients present with concerns about loss of semen. Though this condition has been conceptualized as a culture-bound syndrome, some authors have also considered it a manifestation of depression. This calls for a closer examination of the possible genetic link between Dhat syndrome and depression. METHOD: We examined the relationship between Dhat syndrome and the depressive spectrum, as conceptualized by Winokur, using a retrospective design. The case records of 46 patients with Dhat syndrome were reviewed, and patients were divided into two groups - family history positive (FH+) and family history negative (FH-) - based on the presence of depressive spectrum conditions in first degree relatives. These two groups were compared in terms of demographic variables, symptom profile and comorbidity. RESULTS: The FH+ group had significantly higher rates of depressive disorders and substance use disorders (alcohol and nicotine dependence). They were also more likely to report concerns about penile size. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that a subgroup of patients with the Dhat syndrome can be viewed as suffering from a depressive spectrum disorder. Dhat syndrome may be better understood as a heterogeneous group than as a single diagnostic entity. Identifying such sub-groups can help in choosing optimal treatments for patients with Dhat syndrome, such as selecting antidepressants for the group described in this study.
INTRODUCTION:Dhat syndrome is a condition described in the Indian subcontinent, in which patients present with concerns about loss of semen. Though this condition has been conceptualized as a culture-bound syndrome, some authors have also considered it a manifestation of depression. This calls for a closer examination of the possible genetic link between Dhat syndrome and depression. METHOD: We examined the relationship between Dhat syndrome and the depressive spectrum, as conceptualized by Winokur, using a retrospective design. The case records of 46 patients with Dhat syndrome were reviewed, and patients were divided into two groups - family history positive (FH+) and family history negative (FH-) - based on the presence of depressive spectrum conditions in first degree relatives. These two groups were compared in terms of demographic variables, symptom profile and comorbidity. RESULTS: The FH+ group had significantly higher rates of depressive disorders and substance use disorders (alcohol and nicotine dependence). They were also more likely to report concerns about penile size. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that a subgroup of patients with the Dhat syndrome can be viewed as suffering from a depressive spectrum disorder. Dhat syndrome may be better understood as a heterogeneous group than as a single diagnostic entity. Identifying such sub-groups can help in choosing optimal treatments for patients with Dhat syndrome, such as selecting antidepressants for the group described in this study.
Authors: Aida Saihi MacFarland; Mohammed Al-Maashani; Qassim Al Busaidi; Aziz Al-Naamani; May El-Bouri; Samir Al-Adawi Journal: Oman Med J Date: 2017-05