Age Distribution of the Melancholic Type of Personality (Typus melancholicus) in Outpatients with Major Depression: A Comparison with a Population without a History of Depression

Authors:
  • KSKaoru Sakado
    Kaoru Sakado
  • TUToru Uehara
    Toru Uehara
  • SSSatoshi Sato
    Satoshi Sato
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Abstract
We investigated the age distribution of the typus melancholicus (TM) score, measured by Kasahara’s scale, in 119 outpatients with major depression and in 600 workers without a history of depression. In the patient group, the score was, regardless of age, always constant at a high level. The TM score for the control group increased with aging and was in most age groups significantly lower than that for the patient group. This result suggests that a higher TM score on the scale would be a risk factor and a possible trait marker of major depression.