title: Depression before and after diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Depression was examined in 45 patients evaluated within 2 months of diagnosis of MS. At the time of testing, 40% of the MS sample met the diagnostic criteria for major depression, 22% had adjustment disorder with depressed mood and 37% showed no evidence of mood disorder. Personal and family history of depression in patients with MS was also examined and compared with a sample of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) who were matched for age, gender, marital and employment status and current level of depression. Fifty-two per cent of patients with MS reported experiencing a depressive episode before the onset of MS compared with 17% of patients with CLBP (P < 0.001). Sixteen patients with MS (35%) reported family history (parent or sibling) of treatment for depression compared with seven (15%) of patients with CLBP (P < 0.05). MS patients with a history of depression reported more initial symptoms than MS patients without a history of depression. Clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weinshenker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikail
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Edgley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors