EEG sleep of young adults with major depression: a controlled study

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Abstract

The EEG sleep of 75 subjects aged 16–25 years was studied. Thirty-eight were in an episode of RDC major depression, and 37 were normal controls. Only one sleep continuity measure differed between the two groups: sleep latency was significantly longer in the depressive group. REM period latencies and other sleep variables did not differ between the groups. Subgroup analyses, within the depressed group with respect to inpatient status, revealed significantly higher REM density (P < 0.03) and a marginally shortened REM period latency (P < 0.07) among the inpatient depressives. Subgroup analysis across suicidal ratings revealed a significantly higher REM density (P < 0.04) among suicidal depressives. Severity estimates of depression did not correlate with sleep findings. These results parallel another recent report on adolescent depressed subjects, suggesting that inpatient and/or suicidal status is an important variable in the expression of EEG sleep abnormalities in the adolescent/young adult age group.

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    This article was essentially completed shortly before the untimely death of Joaquim Puig-Antich, M.D., and is dedicated to Kim and his work.

    Present addresses: G.M. Asnis, Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY; R.E. Dahl, N.D. Ryan and B. Nelson, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; H. Rabinovich, Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.

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