BACKGROUND: From both a clinical and an aetiological perspective, major depression (MD) is probably a heterogeneous condition. We attempt to relate these two domains. METHOD: We examined which of an extensive series of clinical characteristics in 646 female twins from a population-based register with a lifetime diagnosis of MD predicts the risk for MD in co-twins. MD was defined by DSM-III-R criteria. RESULTS: Four variables uniquely predicted an increased risk for MD in the co-twin: number of episodes, degree of impairment and co-morbidity with panic disorder or bulimia. One variable uniquely predicted decreased risk: co-morbidity with phobia. Variables that did not uniquely predict risk of MD in the co-twin included age at onset, number and kind of depressive symptoms, treatment seeking, duration of the longest episode and co-morbidity with generalised anxiety disorder and alcohol dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the clinical features of MD can be meaningfully related to the familial vulnerability to illness, particularly with respect to recurrence, impairment and patterns of co-morbidity.
BACKGROUND: From both a clinical and an aetiological perspective, major depression (MD) is probably a heterogeneous condition. We attempt to relate these two domains. METHOD: We examined which of an extensive series of clinical characteristics in 646 female twins from a population-based register with a lifetime diagnosis of MD predicts the risk for MD in co-twins. MD was defined by DSM-III-R criteria. RESULTS: Four variables uniquely predicted an increased risk for MD in the co-twin: number of episodes, degree of impairment and co-morbidity with panic disorder or bulimia. One variable uniquely predicted decreased risk: co-morbidity with phobia. Variables that did not uniquely predict risk of MD in the co-twin included age at onset, number and kind of depressive symptoms, treatment seeking, duration of the longest episode and co-morbidity with generalised anxiety disorder and alcohol dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the clinical features of MD can be meaningfully related to the familial vulnerability to illness, particularly with respect to recurrence, impairment and patterns of co-morbidity.
Authors: Anna R Docherty; Alexis C Edwards; Fuzhong Yang; Roseann E Peterson; Chelsea Sawyers; Daniel E Adkins; Ashlee A Moore; Bradley T Webb; Silviu A Bacanu; Jonathan Flint; Kenneth S Kendler Journal: Depress Anxiety Date: 2017-02-02 Impact factor: 6.505
Authors: Maaike Verhagen; Annemarie van der Meij; Barbara Franke; Wilma A M Vollebergh; Ron de Graaf; Jan K Buitelaar; Joost G E Janzing Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2008-06-24 Impact factor: 5.270
Authors: Russell T Joffe; Justine M Gatt; Andrew H Kemp; Stuart Grieve; Carol Dobson-Stone; Stacey A Kuan; Peter R Schofield; Evian Gordon; Leanne M Williams Journal: Hum Brain Mapp Date: 2009-04 Impact factor: 5.038
Authors: J G E Janzing; R de Graaf; M ten Have; W A Vollebergh; M Verhagen; J K Buitelaar Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2009-03-25 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Peter Holmans; George S Zubenko; Raymond R Crowe; J Raymond DePaulo; William A Scheftner; Myrna M Weissman; Wendy N Zubenko; Sandra Boutelle; Kathleen Murphy-Eberenz; Dean MacKinnon; Melvin G McInnis; Diana H Marta; Philip Adams; James A Knowles; Madeleine Gladis; Jo Thomas; Jennifer Chellis; Erin Miller; Douglas F Levinson Journal: Am J Hum Genet Date: 2004-04-22 Impact factor: 11.025