BACKGROUND: The "typical" depression presentation in primary care is dominated by physical (somatic) complaints as opposed to psychological complaints. More than 50% of patients with depression report somatic complaints only and at least 60% of these somatic complaints are pain related. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the symptomatology of depression in different age groups. 2. To compare the symptomatology of depression found in each age groups. MATERALS & METHODS: Patients who have attended out-patient psychiatric department of tertiary general hospital in urban area and diagnosed as having depression were divided in four age groups (<21years, 21-40years, 41-60years, >60years) and were evaluated for depressive symptomatology. The SYMPTOMATOLOGY part was assessed by using two scales, (1) Inventory of depressive symptomatology scale (IDS-30) and (2) Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS-17). RESULTS: There is high frequency of somatic symptoms (both general and gastrointestinal) spontaneously as well as on systemic evaluation across all age groups amongst which most disturbing was headache followed by fatigue in all age groups. In all age groups who have reported primary depressive features like sadness and loss of pleasure, most of them had history of previous affective episodes so that they might have some insight into their depression. CONCLUSION: Our patients cannot voice their complaints spontaneously as there is a more of somatic symptoms presentation and striking rarity of spontaneously expressed depressed mood but it is invariably present on systemic interview across all age groups.

BACKGROUND: The presence of depression in schizophrenia has been recognized since the time of Kraepelin and Bleuler. Depressive symptoms associated with schizophrenia have received considerable attention in recent years. It has been suggested that patient may manifest depressive symptoms during the onset of psychotic symptoms, during course of chronic schizophrenia or after the psychotic symptoms has been abated. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the prevalence of depression in schizophrenia. 2. To study the correlation between depression and subtype of schizophrenia. MATERALS & METHODS: 50 consecutive patients suffering from schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria, who were brought to psychiatric OPD were selected for this study. Patients between 15-55years age were included in this study. HDRS (Hamilton depression rating scale) was administered to all patients to assess severity of depression. RESULTS: Out of 50 patients suffering from schizophrenia, 44% of patients suffering from schizophrenia were depressed. In this study the most common symptoms of depression were depressed mood, loss of interest on pleasure, sleep disturbance, loss of energy/fatigue, psychomotor disturbance, suicidal thought or death wish, feeling of hopelessness. CONCLUSION: Depression is common in patients suffering from schizophrenia. The severity of depression was mild to moderate, no one had severe depression. It is more common in patients who are living in nuclear family, who are divorced, who have paranoid type of schizophrenia, who were not on antipsychotic medicine.

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BACKGROUND: ECT is mainstay therapy of various psychiatric disorders. It is best antidepressant available on the earth. As all antidepressant cause switch of Depression to Mania, ECT can cause the switch. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To establish relationship between ECT & Euphoric Syndromes. To categorize Euphoria into transient Euphoria, Hypomania or Mania. MATERALS & METHODS: The study was conducted in a general hospital setting in Psychiatry Department. Study subjects were the patient hospitalized & given 6 ECTs with diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder & Schizophrenia. Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) & Hypomania Check List (HCL-32) were the tools applied at various time points. RESULTS: In the study, total 40 patients were taken, amongst which 24 were schizophrenia & 16 were MDD patients. At the end of 6 ECTs total 7 patients developed euphoric syndromes, amongst which 1 patient developed Mania, 3 patients developed Hypomania & 3 patients developed Euphoria. CONCLUSION: It's found that there is positive correlation between Euphoric Syndrome & ECT. 17.5% of subject sample developed Euphoric Syndrome.

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