title: The effects of depression and age on the Horne-Ostberg morningness-eveningness score.
abstract: Effects of depression and age on the Horne-Ostberg morningness-eveningness scale in human volunteers were assessed. Thirty-nine healthy outpatients with current DSM-IIIR depression, free of recent substance abuse or confounding medications, were compared to 39 age- and sex-matched controls. Patients reported greater 'eveningness' than controls (P = 0.014, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test). There was multimodality in the distribution of Horne-Ostberg scale scores in the depressed group, but a normal distribution in controls. Pearson's correlation of age vs. Horne-Ostberg score was positive (r = 0.42-0.55). Depression and age influence the Horne-Ostberg score. Potential multimodality of circadian phase in the depressed group deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Drennan
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Klauber
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kripke
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Goyette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010556:Personality Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012894:Sleep Stages