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Neurotic illness and its response to anxiolytic and antidepressant treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Eve C. Johnstone ,
D. G. Cunningham Owens ,
C. D. Frith ,
Klim McPherson ,
C. Dowie ,
G. Riley  and
Aviva Gold
Eve C. Johnstone*
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
D. G. Cunningham Owens
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
C. D. Frith
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
Klim McPherson
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
C. Dowie
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
G. Riley
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
Aviva Gold
Affiliation:
MRC Clinical Research Unit, Harrow, Middlesex, Department of Social and Community Medicine, University of Oxford
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Eve C. Johnstone, Division of Psychiatry, MRC Clinical Research Centre, Watford Rd, Harrow, Mddx HA1 3UJ.
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Synopsis

Two hundred and forty neurotic out-patients were allocated to no diagnostic category but were rated in terms of observer and self ratings of both depression and anxiety at weekly intervals during a 4-week trial of amitriptyline, diazepam, amitriptyline and diazepam, and placebo. The sample could not be divided into anxious and depressed groups on the basis of the clinical picture. The outcome tended to be good irrespective of medication but the significant drug effects found were due to amitriptyline and concerned measures of anxiety as well as depression. It is concluded that a distinction between anxiety and depression in neurotic out-patients is of no practical value with regard to drug treatment.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , May 1980 , pp. 321 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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