Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Prodromal stage of major depression

2007; Wiley; Volume: 1; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1751-7893.2007.00005.x

1751-7893

Giovanni A. Fava, Eliana Tossani,

Mental Health Treatment and Access

Abstract 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.