Electrodermal hyporeactivity as a trait marker for suicidal propensity in uni- and bipolar depression

Autor: Martin Jandl, R. Straub, Lars-Håkan Thorell, Steve Hodgkinson, Juergen Steyer, Manfred G. Wolfersdorf, Wolfgang P. Kaschka
Rok vydání: 2013
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of psychiatric research. 47(12)
ISSN: 1879-1379
Popis: 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 raw 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.
Databáze: OpenAIRE