The Correlates of the Syndrome of Depression in Schizophrenia

A depressive syndrome as identified by subjectively volunteered dysphoria occurred in 17.4% of a group of 45 DSM III-R schizophrenics, studied initially in a medication free state. Among the 24 patients who could be followed up for six months, another 25% developed depressive symptoms while on treatment. Mild depressive syndromes occurred more frequently in older patients, in association with retained insiglu and lower negative symptoms scores. While depressive symptoms occurred both in the medicated and unmedicated state, depressed medicated schizophrenics differed from non-depressed medicated schizophrenics on variables of total medication dosage, presence of extrapyramidal symptoms and insight.