Psychotropic drugs and depressive syndrome in schizophrenia.

Lifelong records of schizophrenic illnesses were examined in order to compare the occurrence and characteristics of depressive syndrome in the pre-phenothiazine era and with neuroleptic treatments. It was found that a depressive syndrome similar to endogenous depressive psychosis develops spontaneously and independently of neuroleptic medication. The relationship of this endogenous syndome to the postpsychotic depression of other origin is discussed.