P300 latency as an indicator of severity in major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Depression is the most common mental health problem across all the age groups. Still diagnostic techniques and laboratory tests are awaited to confirm it. Some studies focus on P300 latency to aid in the diagnosis of depression. Hence, this study was conducted to know whether P300 latency is an indicator of major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: This study was conducted both on patients admitted in the hospital and those attending outdoor clinic giving written informed consent and fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria from the Department of Psychiatry, S.N. Medical College and Hospital, Agra. The sample consisted of 30 consecutive patients suffering from MDD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria and 30 subjects as normal control. Sociodemographic and clinical history proforma, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Ham-D), and P300 were administered on all 60 subjects. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test. RESULTS: Significant difference (P < 0.0001) has been found in HAM-D mean scores of depressed and nondepressed control group subjects. The mean score of depressed group was significantly high (18.066) compared to nondepressed control group (4.833). Significant difference (P < 0.0001) between the mean of P300 latency in depressed and nondepressed control subjects was also found. Mean score of P300 latency in depressed group was significantly high (346.918 ± 19.515) compared to the nondepressed control subjects (303.741 ± 6.378). There was a significant difference in the mean of P300 latency between mild and severe (P < 0.0001), mild and very severe (P < 0.0003), as well as moderate and severe (P < 0.0001) level of depression. CONCLUSIONS: P300 latency may be used as an indicator of MDD and it is directly proportional to the severity of MDD.

Psychopathology of delayed resumption of sexual activity after myocardial infarction.

A total of 300 male cases of myocardial infarction were analyzed to evaluate the effect of myocardial infarction on sexual activity with particular stress on resumption of sexual activity and to determine the factors in cases of delayed resumption. Sexual activity decreased with age and correlated negatively to total sexual activity. 26 per cent cases developed one or other symptoms which occurred during all the phases of sexual activity but were more marked during resolution phase. Sexual activity returned to normal within six months only in 11.33 per cent cases and in the remaining cases resumption was delayed. In 27.8 per cent cases phobia of marked exertion involved in sex act, created by physicians in 12.7 per cent was the factor responsible for the delayed resumption. Quality of sexual activity decreased in 39 per cent cases and it was due to change in position from Male on top to male on bottom position in 31 per cent cases. Counselling for sexual rehabilitation has been discussed.

Adrenocortical dysfunction in depression: response to dexamethasone suppression test - a comparative study.

Thirty patients of Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia and normal healthy controls each, received an overnight dexamethasone suppression test. Plasma and urinary Cortisol measurements showed that depressed patients had increased adrenocortical activity before dexamethasone and they showed an abnormal early escape from suppression which had a relationship with severity of depression. An attempt has been made to differentiate depressives from schizophrenics by abnormally high Cortisol values. Post-dexamethasone urinary Cortisol as well as combined urinary Cortisol and plasma Cortisol abnormal values gave the best pointers of differentiation. A nonsignificant trend of higher values was observed in bipolar and retarded depressives. Schizophrenics did not differ from normals at any stage.