title: Activity/rest rhythm of depressed adolescents undergoing therapy: case studies.
abstract: Disorders of circadian rhythms have been reported in studies of both depressed children and of depressed adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is a relationship between the 24-hour spectral power (24h SP) of the activity/rest rhythm and the clinical course of depression in adolescents.
  Six 14 to 17-year-old adolescents were recruited for the study. They were all suffering from major depressive disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria, as identified by the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children: Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Children's Depression Rating Scale - Revised (CDRS-R) and clinical evaluations. Locomotor activity was monitored over a period of 13 consecutive weeks. Activity was measured for 10-minute periods using wrist-worn activity monitors. All patients were prescribed sertraline from after the first week up until the end of the study.
  We found a relationship between high CDRS values and low 24-hour spectral power.
  The 24h SP of the activity/rest rhythm correlated significantly (negatively) with the clinical ratings of depression.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Eugênia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Eliza
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Finazzi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu-I
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Ricardo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Alberto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Del-Porto
authors.affiliation: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menna-Barreto
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012146:Rest