Melancholia as a distinct mood disorder? Recommendations for DSM-5.

摘要

To the Editor: In an editorial in the July 2010 issue of the Journal, Gordon Parker, M.D. (1), and a distinguished group of 16 coauthors, including one of the Deputy Editors of this journal, made an argument for melancholia being classified as a distinct mood disorder. The arguments that 1) melancholia features a cluster of symptoms with greater consistency than the broad heterogeneity of the disorders and conditions included in major depression and bipolar disorder and 2) the melancholia diagnosis has superior predictability for prognosis and treatment were not well supported by the evidence.