Developing new diagnostic criteria for melancholia (endogenous depression): a multicenter study

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14435
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research
• Principal Investigator: Tamada Yu (財)冲中記念成人病研究所, その他部局等, 研究員 (40813720)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: メランコリア / 内因性うつ病 / 精神運動障害 / 主観的症状 / CORE尺度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Psychomotor disturbance (PMD) is one of the most important, as well as one of the only measurable symptoms of melancholia. Parker et al. developed the CORE measure, which assesses PMD as a behavioral characteristic. The aim of our study was to objectively identify the subjective symptoms of melancholia by analyzing the symptoms associated with PMD.
A total of 106 participants with major depressive disorder were examined by psychiatrists. Multiple regression analysis was performed in which the total CORE score was the dependent variable, and items of the DSM-5 criteria for melancholia and historically suggested melancholic features were independent variables.
The following five independent variables were able to predict the total CORE score: 1) feelings of having lost feeling, 2) depressive delusions, 3) perplexity, 4) indecisiveness, and 5) no aggression against others. These five symptoms may be clinically useful as diagnostic criteria for melancholia.

Free Research Field

精神病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で明らかになった、精神運動障害(PMD)と関連する5項目の主観的症状は、メランコリアを診断するための有用なクライテリアとなる可能性がある。また、PMDと電気けいれん療法の効果の関連は実証されているため、この5項目が電気けいれん療法の良好な反応を予測する指標になる可能性も示唆された。