psychobiological study in dysthymic patients and their relatives

This work was carried out on: 1) Patients group: 40 patients: 20 dysthymic (55% females and 45% males) (dysthymics represented 55% of the early-onset and 45% of late-onset and 20 major depressives (MD) (40% females and 60% males), they were distributed as follows: 13 (65%) MD with first attack, 7 (35%) MD with recurrent attack, 5 (25%) MD with psychotic features and 15 (75%) MD with non psychotic features. 2) Normal group: 20 normals (50% females and 50% males). First-degree relatives of all studied subjects were included in the study. Method: Clinical assessment in a semistructured interview.Psychometric study: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Psychosocial stressors assessment. Hormonal study: Sequential immunometric assay of Basal serum level of cortisol, ACTH and TSH.