Depression Flashcards
What is depression?
Refers to both negative affect (low mood) and/or absence of positive affect (loss of interest and pleasure in most activities)
Def: Euthymic
Normal mood
Def: Hyperthymic
Elevated mood
Def: Cyclothymic
Variable mood
Def: Anhedonia
Loss of enjoyment/pleasure
Def: Anergia
Lack of energy
Def: Amotivation
Lack of motivation
Def: Diurnal variation
Varying over the course of the day
Def: Early morning wakening
Waking at least 2 hours before expected waking time
Def: Psychomotor retardation
Subjective or objective slowing of thoughts and/or movement
Def: Stupor
Absence of relational functions (E.g. Action and speech)
What are some risk factors for depression?
- Genetic susceptibility
- Life factors - i.e. social situation e.g. single mums
- Alcohol/drug dependence
- Abuse (sexual or not) - particularly in childhood
- Unemployed
- Previous psychiatricdiagnosis
- Chronic disease
- Lack of a confiding relationship
- Urban population
- Post natal period
What are some sub-types of depression?
Psychotic depression
Cotard’s syndrome (Nihilistic delusion)
Somatic syndrome
Atypical depression
Late-onset depression
What is meant by psychotic depression?
A form of depression in which there are psychoses, occasionally paranoid, which are typically hypochondriacal and are congruent with mood
What is Cotard’s syndrome
A syndrome of severe depression in which the person believes they are dead or they are an empty shell with rotting innards
Most common in the elderly
What are some somatic symptoms of depression
- Marked loss of interest or pleasure in activities that are normally pleasurable
- Lack of emotional reactions to events or activities that normally produce an emotional response
- Waking in the morning 2 hours or more before the usual time
- Depression worse in the morning
- Objective evidence of marked psychomotor retardation or agitation (remarked on or reported by other people)
- Marked loss of appetite
- Weight loss (5 % or more of body weight in the past month)
- Marked loss of libido
What are the features of atypical depression?
- Mood reactivity (that is, mood brightens in response to actual or potential positive events)
- Significant weight gain or increase in appetite
- Hypersomnia
- Leaden paralysis (heavy, leaden feelings in arms or legs)
- Long-standing pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity (not limited to episodes of mood disturbance) that results in significant social or occupational impairment
What is late-onset depression?
Depression occurring for the first time in later life (>65)