[Sleep and depression: toward a standardization of the use of the latency of paradoxical sleep as a biological marker of major depression].
Among the various disturbances in sleep architecture among major depressive patients, the shortening of REM latency seems the most specific feature. Therefore, several groups have tested the usefulness of this parameter as a "biological marker" of major depression. The divergent results of those studies probably result from the marked differences in the methodology used. In this context, we compared the diagnostic sensitivity of various methodologies for selection of REM latency data among 92 major depressive inpatients recorded for 4 consecutive nights. The selection of individual night values or of mean values yielded very similar diagnostic sensitivity. However, the selection of the shortest REM latency from consecutive nights was associated with a higher diagnostic sensitivity, especially if at least 3 nights were included. After controlling for age, 87% of patients were identified by this methodology (sum of REM latency and age less than 90). Therefore we propose to standardize the methodology for use of REM latency: recording of 3 consecutive nights and selection of the shortest REM latency. If the sum of this value and of patient'age equals 90 or less, the diagnosis of major depression is supported.
Université de Liège, Unité de Psychiatrie Biologique et de Psychopharmacologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Belgique.
M
M
Ansseau
R
R
von Frenckell
G
G
Franck
C F
CF
Reynolds
D J
DJ
Kupfer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012895:Sleep, REM
Sommeil et dépression: vers une standardisation de l'utilisation de la latence du sommeil paradoxal en tant que marqueur biologique de depression majeure.