SummaryMore than half of all patients consulting at public health facilities in Cali, Colombia have been shown to present mental disorders, the majority of which were non-psychotic; there is a high female preponderance amongst the affective disorders. As in other developing countries, in Colombia depressive disorders tend to present as somatic complaints, rather than as mood disturbances. The nomenclature used to describe these disorders is poorly codified, with most patients classed as “neurotic” or “depressed”; the diagnosis of “dysthymia” is very seldom encountered. Mental disorders are frequently misdiagnosed in primary care settings; when identified, treatment of depression by GPs generally involves TCAs or MAOIs, sometimes in conjunction with anxiolytics or neuroleptics. Only very severe cases are referred to psychiatrists, and many patients purchase drugs upon the recommendation of a pharmacist. Diagnostic trends and treatment results of a comparative study of amisulpride and viloxazine carried out in 80 patients assessed by DSM III-R criteria are reported.

This study deals with the role of time or space factors in bringing about depressive disorders. Anniversaries, dates or sensory perceptions associated with a depressive experience are seen to act as cues which can automatically unchain a depressive response at a later occasion. In a series of 53 patients suffering with different types of depressive disorders, a group of 18 (one third) were identified as presenting this kind of response. Clinical illustrations and descriptive characteristics are presented, together with an attempt at explantation of some of the mechanisms involved.