Decoding emotional facial expressions in depressed and anorexic patients.
BACKGROUND
Several studies suggest the existence of impairments in the decoding of emotional facial expressions in various psychopathological conditions. This study investigates the recognition of emotional facial expressions (EFE) in young depressed patients and compares it to patients with eating disorders and control subjects.


METHODS
21 hospitalized female adolescents with major depression, 36 hospitalized female adolescents with eating disorders and 32 female control subjects were investigated with a set of emotional facial stimuli [Hess, U., Blairy, S., 1995. Set of Emotional Facial Stimuli, Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montréal, Montréal, Canada].


RESULTS
No significant differences were found between anorexic patients and controls in EFE decoding. Significant results were observed for depressed patients: they were less accurate in EFE decoding compared to anorexic patients and controls for the emotion of anger.


CONCLUSIONS
Previous studies on EFE decoding in depression and eating disorders used different facial stimuli or methodology. Furthermore, our study concerns only female subjects. These limitations could explain some discrepant result.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results support the existence of impairments in the decoding of facial expressions in young female patients suffering from major depression.
Mendlewicz
Laura
L
Department of Psychiatry, Erasme Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Route de Lennik, 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium. lmendlew@ulb.ac.be
Linkowski
Paul
P
Bazelmans
Christine
C
Philippot
Pierre
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010552:Personality Assessment; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors