Sixty patients with probable atypical depression--defined as meeting
Research Diagnostic Criteria for depressive illness, having reactive mood,
and having one of four associated symptoms (hyperphagia, hypersomnolence,
leaden feeling, and sensitivity to rejection)--took part in a study
contrasting phenelzine, imipramine, and placebo. Phenelzine was found to be
superior to imipramine and placebo. These results were compared to results
from a sample of 120 patients with identical characteristics, except that
they had more than one associated atypical symptom (full atypical
syndrome). The size of the drug effect was comparable in patients with full
atypical and partial atypical syndromes.
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