ABSTRACT

Menopausal period is a specific process with biological changes and increased depression risk. Understanding the nature and related factors of depression in this period may help the clinician in prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders. In our study, it is aimed to investigate the relationship between postmenopausal major depressive disorder and previous depression attacks, family history of depression and life events.

This study has been carried out in a menopause unit and a psychiatry clinic. 40 patients with the diagnosis of postmenopausal major depressive disorder and 40 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The diagnosis of major depressive disorder was confirmed by means of the “Structured Clinical Interview for Axis -1 Disorders (SCID-I)”. The level of depression was assessed by “Beck Depression Inventory”. Life events were determined by “Life Events Rating Scale”. It was found that 37.5 percent of the patient group had previously at least one depressive attack. The study group reported higher exposure rates to life events in 7-12 month and 0-12 month perivously before the disorder. Furthermore, it was found that the patient group was complaining more about menopausal symptoms and the depression severity was correlated to the severity of the menopausal semptoms.

Data obtained suggest that previous depressive attacks and life events in 7-12 months and 0-12 months before the major depressive disorder may be a differential feature of postmenopausal major depressive disorder.