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Morbidity Risks in Subtypes of Unipolar Depressive Illness: Differences Between Early and Late Onset Forms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. Mendlewicz  and
M. Baron
J. Mendlewicz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Erasme Hospital, Free University of Brussels, 808 Route de Lennick, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
M. Baron
Affiliation:
Division of Psychogenetics, Department of Medical Genetics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
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Summary

Despite the high prevalence of unipolar depression in the general population, few genetic studies are available on subtypes of unipolar illness. We evaluated morbid risks for depression, alcoholism and/or sociopathy in the relatives of early onset (before age 40) and late onset (after age 40) unipolar patients in a sample of 106 probands consecutively admitted to the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Unipolar patients with an early onset disease have a greater familial morbidity for depression, alcoholism and sociopathy than unipolar patients with a late onset disease. There is an excess of unipolar depression in female relatives of early onset unipolars when compared to late onset probands, regardless of the proband's sex. Alcoholism and sociopathy are also more prevalent in the relatives of early onset unipolars versus late onset probands. Our morbidity risk data show familial genetic differences between early and late onset forms of unipolar illness and partially confirm Winokur's concept of two subtypes of unipolar depression.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 139 , Issue 5 , November 1981 , pp. 463 - 466
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1981 

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