title: Clinical and biochemical aspects of depressive disorders: I. Introduction, classification, and research techniques.
abstract: The present review focuses on recent data from clinical and animal research concerning the biochemical bases of depressive disorders, diagnosis, and treatment. In addition to integrating these data, problems and future directions in this research are discussed. The review is presented in three parts. This study, Part I, describes diagnostic classification schemes for depressive disorders, some epidemiological and biological correlates of the classifications, and research techniques for investigating depressive disorders. Research techniques include animal models, human biochemical techniques, and Positron Emission Tomography. In a future issue, Part II will discuss various transmitter/receptor theories of depressive disorders, e.g., noradrenergic, serotonergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic, GABAergic, and peptidergic theories. Also in a future issue, Part III will discuss treatments for depression and some of the controversies in the field.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Science, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caldecott-Hazard
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Guze
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kling
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kling
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Baxter
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012107:Research Design