EUDOR-A multi-centre research program: A naturalistic, European Multi-centre Clinical study of EDOR Test in adult patients with primary depression.
Electrodermal reactivity has been successfully used as indicator of interest, curiosity as well as depressive states. The measured reactivity depends on the quantity of sweat secreted by those eccrine sweat glands that are located in the hypodermis of palmar and plantar regions. Electrodermal hyporeactive individuals are those who show an unusual rapid habituation to identical non-significant stimuli. Previous findings suggested that electrodermal hyporeactivity has a high sensitivity and a high specificity for suicide. The aims of the present study are to test the effectiveness and the usefulness of the EDOR (ElectroDermal Orienting Reactivity) Test as a support in the suicide risk assessment of depressed patients and to assess the predictive value of electrodermal hyporeactivity, measured through the EDOR Test, for suicide and suicide attempt in adult patients with a primary diagnosis of depression.



1573 patients with a primary diagnosis of depression, whether currently depressed or in remission, have been recruited at 15 centres in 9 different European countries. Depressive symptomatology was evaluated through the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale. Previous suicide attempts were registered and the suicide intent of the worst attempt was rated according to the first eight items of the Beck Suicide Intent Scale. The suicide risk was also assessed according to rules and traditions at the centre. The EDOR Test was finally performed. During the EDOR Test, two fingers are put on gold electrodes and direct current of 0.5 V is passed through the epidermis of the fingers according to standards. A moderately strong tone is presented through headphones now and then during the test. The electrodermal responses to the stimuli represent an increase in the conductance due to the increased number of filled sweat ducts that act as conductors through the electrically highly resistant epidermis. Each patient is followed up for one year in order to assess the occurrence of intentional self-harm.



Based on previous studies, expected results would be that patients realizing a suicide attempt with a strong intent or committing suicide should be electrodermally hyporeactive in most cases and non-hyporeactive patients should show only few indications of death intent or suicides.



The German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00010082 . Registered May 31st, 2016. Retrospectively registered.
Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy. marco.sarchiapone@me.com.|National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (NIHMP), Rome, Italy. marco.sarchiapone@me.com.
Marco
0000-0001-9583-3117
M
Sarchiapone
Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
Miriam
M
Iosue
National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental lll-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
Vladimir
V
Carli
Clinica Psichiatrica, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Mario
M
Amore
Department of Psychiatry, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Enrique
E
Baca-Garcia
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Anil
A
Batra
Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Department, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Doina
D
Cosman
Department of psychiatry and medical psychology, University Hospital of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Philippe
P
Courtet
Department of Medical Basic Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Guido
G
Di Sciascio
Centro Hospitalar de LisboaOcidental (CHLO), Lisbon, Portugal.
Ricardo
R
Gusmao
2nd Psychiatric Department, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland.
Tadeusz
T
Parnowski
National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary.
Peter
P
Pestality
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
Pilar
P
Saiz
Klinikfür Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
Johannes
J
Thome
Psychiatric Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.|Psychiatric Neuromodulation Unit (PNU), Department of Clinical Neuroscienses, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Anders
A
Tingström
Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.
Marcin
M
Wojnar
Department of Translational Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, University of Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Novara, Italy.
Patrizia
P
Zeppegno
EMOTRA AB, Sävedalen, Sweden.|Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Lars-Håkan
LH
Thorell
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
Depression; Electrodermal hyporeactivity; Intentional self-harm; Skin conductance; Suicidal behaviour; Suicide