Electrodermal Activity and Affective Symptoms in Allergic Depressed Inpatients

Abstract

Electrodermal hypoactivity is a known phenomenon in depression. For different reasons a hyperactive electrodermal system should be more likely in allergic persons because of the known hyperreactivity both to psychological and immunological stimuli. Hypothesis of this study therefore was that this higher activity should also be seen in comorbid allergic depressed and anxious patients in comparison to non-allergic depressive patients. In a two-factorial variance analytic design (factor 1: anxiety/depression and anxiety/depression versus factor 2: allergy/non-allergy) we examined 45 age matched female depressed (D) and comorbid anxious (DA) inpatients of the Weissenau Depression Ward and female patients with anxiety/panic disorders (A) in a Budapest outpatient clinic. Besides measurement of electrodermal parameters (SCL, SFL, amplitude) patients filled in questionnaires (BDI, STAIG, B-L and a questionnaire regarding allergy). Results show no interaction between allergy and depression, but the three diagnostically groups differentiate as would be expected in BDI (p = 0.0038) with highest scores in DA; in all groups depression scores are highest in allergic patients (p = 0.07). Additionally in all diagnostic groups allergic patients had significantly higher electrodermal activity (SCL, p = 0.005) than non-allergic patients. Significant highest electrodermal activity were measured in the depressed group (D, p = 0.026) and not as we would have expected in the comorbid group DA. The implications for diagnostic-therapeutic strategies are discussed.