[Atypical depression: evolution toward a specific pharmacologic and efficacious treatment?].

Abstract

The present article reviews different concepts of atypical depression. Of these, major depression associated with panic disorder would have a specific meaning according to some pharmacological and prognosis studies. It seems that this type of depression is quite frequent and has a significantly worse prognosis than major depression alone. Controlled studies comparing the efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants to phenelzine concluded in favour of the latter in general. It is generally thought that atypical depression would respond better to monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), but it would seem that it is mainly major depression associated with panic disorder that could predict this kind of response to treatment. Second generation antidepressants have not been studied systematically for this purpose even though preliminary reports seem promising.

• Authors: B Dassylva, R Fontaine
• Journal: Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie (Can J Psychiatry) Vol. 40 Issue 2 Pg. 102-8 (Mar 1995) ISSN: 0706-7437 [Print] United States
• Vernacular Title: Dépression atypique: évolution vers un traitement pharmacologique spécifique et efficace?
• PMID: 7788612 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
• Phenelzine

Topics

• Antidepressive Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic (therapeutic use)
• Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic
• Depressive Disorder (classification, drug therapy, psychology)
• Humans
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Panic Disorder (classification, drug therapy, psychology)
• Phenelzine (therapeutic use)
• Prognosis