title: A comparison between delusional and non-delusional depressives.
abstract: Delusional depressive episodes may represent more sever degrees of depressive manifestations or a distinct subtype of depressive illness. To test these two alternative hypotheses, characteristics on demographic, clinical and symptomatic variables, presence of personality disorders and familial loading were compared in 57 delusional and 57 non-delusional depressive patients. The delusional group did not differ on symptomatological intensity degree, clinical and familial loading characteristics. They did differ on higher distribution of Cluster 1 personality disorders. In the delusional sample the presence of mood incongruent psychotic features and hallucinations were evaluated as possible indicators of different subtypes of delusional depression.
authors.affiliation: Scientific Istitute of San Raffaele Hospital, Department of Neurophysical Sciences, University of Milan, Medical School, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasperini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smeraldi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology