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Prodromal stage of major depression
Author(s) -
Fava Giovanni A.,
Tossani Eliana
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
early intervention in psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.087
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-7893
pISSN - 1751-7885
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-7893.2007.00005.x
Subject(s) - prodromal stage , depression (economics) , disease , psychiatry , stage (stratigraphy) , depressive symptoms , medicine , psychology , clinical psychology , cognitive impairment , anxiety , paleontology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
Aim: The aim of this review was to survey the available literature on prodromal symptoms of unipolar major depression. Methods: Both a computerized (Medline) and a manual search of the literature were performed. Results: In a substantial proportion of patients with depression a prodromal phase can be identified. There is a relationship between residual and prodromal symptomatology (the rollback phenomenon). Conclusions: Appraisal of prodromal phase of major depression has important implications as to pathophysiological models of disease and relapse prevention. It may allow a staging system of depressive illness that may yield more enduring results in the therapeutic efforts.