title: Premorbid circadian profile of patients with major depression and panic disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare some behavioural characteristics related to circadian functions in healthy subjects, in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and panic disorder (PD) during adulthood (disease period) and during the premorbid age (between 12 and 20 years old).
  
  
  METHODS
  132 adult patients with MDD, 144 with PD and 151 adult healthy controls were enrolled in the study. All subjects completed a retrospective questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several behaviours (such as falling asleep, awakening, having, appetite, perceiving energy and cognitive functioning) showed a phase delay or a phase advance in MDD and PD patients compared to healthy controls. Behavioural differences where found in patients even before the clinical onset of the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circadian profiles of MDD and PD patients diverge from those of healthy controls not only during the disorder but also in the ages preceding its clinical onset. The analysis of these circadian patterns may aid physicians to early identify subjects with specific psychiatric vulnerabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prinzivalli
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Limpido
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valeriani
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasia
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacitti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder; D055815:Young Adult