Differential diagnosis of depression: relevance of positron emission tomography

Journal Article · Fri Sep 11 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · JAMA, J. Am. Med. Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1987.03400100102031· OSTI ID:5902826

Schwartz, J M; Baxter, Jr, L R; Mazziotta, J C; Gerner, R H; Phelps, M E

The proper differential diagnosis of depression is important. A large body of research supports the division of depressive illness into bipolar and unipolar subtypes with respect to demographics, genetics, treatment response, and neurochemical mechanisms. Optimal treatment is different for unipolar and bipolar depressions. Treating a patient with bipolar depression as one would a unipolar patient may precipitate a serious manic episode or possibly even permanent rapid cycling disorder. The clinical distinction between these disorders, while sometimes difficult, can often be achieved through an increased diagnostic suspicion concerning a personal or family history of mania. Positron emission tomography and the FDG method, which allow in vivo study of the glucose metabolic rates for discrete cerebral structures, provide new evidence that bipolar and unipolar depression are two different disorders.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California School of Medicine, Los Angeles
• OSTI ID: 5902826
• Journal Information: JAMA, J. Am. Med. Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: JAMA, J. Am. Med. Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 258:10; ISSN JAMAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALDEHYDES
BODY
BRAIN
CARBOHYDRATES
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBRUM
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
GLUCOSE
HEXOSES
MENTAL DISORDERS
METABOLISM
MONOSACCHARIDES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POSITRON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
SACCHARIDES
TOMOGRAPHY