title: Does anhedonia correlate with depression severity in chronic depression?
abstract: Anhedonia has been proposed as a psychological marker for biological depression. In this study, anhedonia was measured in a cohort of chronically depressed outpatients. Levels of anhedonia were similar to those reported in acutely depressed patients. Anhedonia was significantly correlated with morbid risk of depression in first-degree family members, neuroticism, introversion, and dysfunctional attitudes, but not with depression severity or hopelessness scores. In a naturalistic follow-up study over a 1-year period, while depression severity was significantly reduced, anhedonia scores remained constant. The study provides support for the view that in chronic depression anhedonia may have trait-like properties, and that the propensity toward anhedonic responses may occur irrespective of depressive severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Schrader
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors