Title: Frequency and characterization of depression in schizophrenia
Abstract: Context and Aims: The prevalence of depression in schizophrenia has been reported to be varying according to the stage of illness (early vs. chronic) and state (acute or postpsychotic). The presence of positive symptoms, extrapyramidal side effects, and insight have been said to predispose depression in a stable patient with schizophrenia. However, not many Indian studies have examined depression in patients with stable schizophrenic symptoms. Thus, we aimed to study the prevalence of depression and its correlates in a sample of stable patients with schizophrenia. Subjects and Methods: Eighty subjects of both genders, attending a tertiary care center, were consecutively taken up for the assessment. A semistructured pro forma was administered for all the subjects after getting informed consent. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Hamilton Depression (HAMD) Rating Scale, Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale, Schedule for Assessment of Insight (SAI), and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) were used to assess the patients. Results: In this study population, 34.5% had depressive symptoms. The study group had mild depression associated with schizophrenic psychopathology. The study populations did not have significant extrapyramidal symptoms during the assessment. The CDSS score and HAMD score had a significant positive correlation with SAI score. HAMD score had a negative correlation with GAF. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that patients with schizophrenia have significant depressive symptoms. These depressive symptoms appear to be independent of extrapyramidal symptoms and correlate positively to schizophrenic psychopathology. Poor insight may have led to low severity of reported depressive symptoms.