Is there evidence for a male depressive syndrome in inpatients with major depression?
BACKGROUND
The question is investigated whether atypical depressive symptoms such as irritability, anger attacks, aggressiveness or abusive behavior, which are hypothesized to indicate a hypothetical male depressive syndrome are more prevalent in male than in female inpatients with unipolar major depression.


METHODS
Data were obtained from 2411 patients who had been consecutively admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. Psychopathological symptoms had been assessed by a standardized documentation system (AMDP).


RESULTS
Neither frequency nor mean scores of most of the symptoms describing a male depressive syndrome differed between males and females. There were no gender differences in symptoms with respect to severity of depression, first hospitalization and duration of illness. However, gender differences emerged when regarding symptom patterns by factor analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Only inpatients were studied, and comorbidity was not considered.


CONCLUSIONS
The hypothesis of a male depressive syndrome needs further research, focusing on the gradual development of (masked) depression by men in mainly non-clinical samples.
Möller-Leimkühler
Anne Maria
AM
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, D-80336 Munich, Germany. amoeller@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
Bottlender
Ronald
R
Strauss
Anton
A
Rutz
Wolfgang
W
D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors