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Depressive Syndromes in the Year following Onset of a First Schizophrenic Illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Abstract

A complete, unselected series of 68 patients who were seen during their first episode of an undoubtedly schizophrenic illness, and followed up one year later (for 56 patients) is described clinically. Depressive symptoms were common at onset, and 22% of patients could have been considered cases of depression from these symptoms alone. At follow-up, depressive symptoms had reduced in prevalence and only 7% of subjects were depressed cases. Only two cases of depression at follow-up had not been cases at onset. These changes could not be attributed to the use of antidepressants or ECT. Depressive syndromes could be distinguished from akinesia and the negative syndromes. The findings indicate that depression cannot be attributed solely to the administration of neuroleptics.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1987 

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Footnotes

*

A report from the UK Field Research Centre of the World Health Organization Collaborative Study on Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders.

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