Posted by Elizabeth on November 12, 1999, at 1:21:56
In reply to Re: def.s (for dj) -- slight clarification, svp, posted by dj on November 11, 1999, at 17:15:11
> Eliazabeth, Thanks for that. It clarifies things somewhat. I surmise than that melancholic depression is considered typical &/or "simple mood-reactive depression."
I think melancholia is actually not too common. Simple mood-reactive depression is usually "typical" neurovegetative symptoms (insomnia, loss of appetite, marked psychomotor changes, etc.) with mood reactivity. But it's generally a wastebasket term for any depression that doesn't clearly fall into one of the other two categories.
> In the first line of the following do you have any idea what lab. findings are referred to?
It kind of depends which definition of melancholia you're using. Some of the laboratory findings are polysomnographic changes (decreased REM latency and prolonged first REM period), hypercortisolism and nonsuppression of cortisol levels in the dexamethasone suppression test, low TSH, a couple other weird test results. None of them is diagnostic by itself, though.
poster:Elizabeth
thread:4802
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991108/msgs/15058.html