Citation

Thorell LH, Wolfersdorf MG, Straub R, Steyer J, Hodgkinson S, Kaschka WP, Jandl M. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2013; 47(12): 1925-1931.

Affiliation

Department of clinical and experimental medicine, Linköping University and Emotra AB, Gothenburg, Östgötagatan 60B, 582 32 Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: lars@emotra.se.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.08.017

PMID

24050778

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A meta-analysis of studies investigating electrodermal activity in depressed patients, suggested that electrodermal hyporeactivity is sensitive and specific for suicide. AIMS: To confirm this finding and to study electrodermal hyporeactivity relative to type and severity of depression, trait anxiety, its stability and independence of depressive state. METHOD: Depressed inpatients (n = 783) were tested for habituation of electrodermal responses and clinically assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the STAI-Trait scale for trait anxiety. RESULTS: The high sensitivity and specificity of electrodermal hyporeactivity for suicide were confirmed. Its prevalence was highest in bipolar disorders and was independent of severity of depression, trait anxiety, gender and age. Hyporeactivity was stable, while reactivity changed into hyporeactivity in a later depressive episode. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the hypothesis that electrodermal hyporeactivity is a trait marker for suicidal propensity in depression.

Language: en