Are We Getting Any Better at Diagnosing Depression?

A dimensional approach might work better than a symptom checklist for diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Some clinicians have questioned the applicability of the DSM-IV's list of nine criteria (which do not drastically differ from the DSM-5 criteria) to the task of diagnosing depression (NEJM JW Psychiatry Jun 19 2002). Researchers analyzed data from a community-based study of 7500 twins to examine how much genetic and environmental factors are shared (common factors) across all DSM-IV depression criteria or specific to different criteria.

In the best-fitting model, criterion-specific genetic factors were associated with clusters of psychomotor and cognitive symptoms; sad mood, anhedonia, and worthlessness; and vegetative symptoms (especially sleep difficulties and fatigue). The genetic factor for psychomotor/cognitive symptoms seemed to reflec…

Reviewing Author

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Are We Getting Any Better at Diagnosing Depression?

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Reviewing Author