Abstract

PRESA-GARCIA, ME et al. Influence of anhedonia on the clinical course of depressive disorder. Sanid. Mil. [online]. 2023, vol.79, n.2, pp.75-81.  Epub Feb 05, 2024. ISSN 1887-8571.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/s1887-85712023000200004.

Anhedonia is the absence or reduced ability to experience pleasure. It is a major symptom of depression and a negative symptom of schizophrenia. We present a prospective descriptive study (December 2018 to July 2020) with a 6-month follow-up, developed in the Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic of the “Hospital Central de la Defensa, Gómez Ulla”. The SHAPS scale was used to quantify anhedonia and the CET-DE questionnaire was used to monitor clinical depression. Other scales such as the CGI scale (subjective impression of severity/improvement was use by the psychiatrist) and the modified VAS (patient’s subjective impression of his or her state of severity) were also applied. Out of 60 patients recruited, 48 completed the study protocol (2 visits), 60 % were women with a mean age of 48 years. At the firts visit the percentage of anhedonia was 67 %, with 48 % considered severe by the physician. The presence of anhedonia was related to a higher score on the CET-DE scale. After the psychotherapeutic intervention, the percentage of anhedonia at the last visit was 29% in general and 25% of patients were classified as severe by the health professional. The persistence of anhedonia at the final visit was a factor of poor clinical evolution and we can conclude that it is a component of the residual symptomatology of depression and an indicator of poor prognosis.

Keywords : Depression; Anhedonia; Prognostic.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )