Citation

Rothschild AJ, Mulsant BH, Meyers BS, Flint AJ. Psychiatr. Ann. 2006; 36(1): 40-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Healio)

DOI

10.3928/00485713-20060101-09

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Major depression with psychotic features is a common psychiatric disorder with considerable morbidity and mortality that can be difficult to diagnose accurately. The increased mortality rate in MD-Psy is in part due to suicide and in part from other, not fully understood nonpsychiatric causes. Even so, the disorder has not been given "status" as its own diagnostic entity in DSM, despite a strong case having been made for its inclusion more than a decade ago. The data reviewed in this article on symptoms, biological characteristics, and course/outcome, and the treatment response data reviewed in this issue and elsewhere, strongly suggest that unipolar major depression with psychotic features can be differentiated from unipolar major depression without psychotic features and should be its own diagnostic entity in DSM-V. Sadly, at the present time, no medications are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MD-Psy. However, recently, the National Institute of Mental Health funded STOP-PD, the first study of the medication treatment of MD-Psy in more than 20 years. With greater education of clinicians, patients, and the families of patients regarding the signs, symptoms, and prevalence of MD-Psy, along with more focused attention on studies of the treatment of MD-Psy, progress can be made to alleviate the suffering that this significant public health problem causes.

Language: en