phenylthiourea and Depressive-Disorder

Twenty-three (23) females who satisfied the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) DSM-III criteria for Major Depression were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRS), the genetically based phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taste test, and each subject provided a family history of depression. Results show that, compared with PTC nontasters, the tasters suffered deeper depressions, longer periods of sadness, symptoms that resembled "endogenous depression," and the tasters reported more family members afflicted with depression. The PTC taste test accounted for 20% of the variance on the BDI and on the HRS.

Topics: Adult; Depressive Disorder; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Phenylthiourea; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Factors; Taste

The phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taste test was investigated for its potential as a genetically based biological marker for depression. One hundred and one male and female adults (including 6 patients hospitalized for depression), aged 18-36, completed a multifactor depression questionnaire that included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a scale that measures severity of depression in mother and father, and a commercially prepared PTC (paper) taste test. As predicted, PTC tasters reported significantly higher levels of depression on the BDI than nontasters (p less than .05); also, they scored higher on 5 of the 21 items (p less than .05). Significantly more subjects who reported a mother debilitated by depression were PTC tasters (p less than .05). Limitations and implications of these findings are discussed.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Depressive Disorder; Female; Genetic Markers; Humans; Male; Phenylthiourea; Taste