title: Association of speed of onset and speed of recovery of depressive episodes in patients with major depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depressive episodes show large interindividual differences concerning their speed of onset and speed of recovery, which might suggest differences in underlying pathophysiological processes. The aim of the present study was to assess whether there is a relationship between the speed of onset and the speed of recovery from depressive episodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The speed of onset and the speed of recovery from depression were assessed using a structured patient interview, the Onset of Depression Inventory (ODI). In total, 28 patients with bipolar depression and 91 patients with unipolar depression were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean speed of onset of depression was significantly faster than the mean speed of recovery from depression (35.25, range 0-360 days vs. 59.60, range 0.13-720 days; Z = -3.40; p = 0.001). The correlation between these variables was positive, but numerically low (ρ = 0.22; p = 0.016). The speed of onset of the previous episode and that of the present episode were significantly correlated (ρ = 0.45; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data are based on retrospective patient reports within a naturalistic study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the speed of onset of depressive episodes has been found to show large interindividual variability and some intraindividual stability, the data of this study do not indicate that the neurobiological processes involved in the onset of and in the recovery from depressive episodes are closely linked.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mergl
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schönknecht
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hegerl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult