NEGATIVE AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN SUICIDAL SCHIZOPHRENICS

The aim of this study was to determine the value of positive, negative and depressive symptoms, and of the dexamethasone suppression test (D ST), in differentiating schizophrenics with and without a history of s uicide. Fifty-seven hospitalized patients with schizophrenia were asse ssed at the end of a neuroleptic free interval with the Brief Psychiat ric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRS D), and with a dexamethasone challenge. Suicide attempters were signif icantly more likely to meet criteria for major depression than nonatte mpters. Scores on the HRSD differentiated the two groups whereas the s ums of positive and negative symptom items from the BPRS did not. DST a.m. and p.m. cortisol Values differentiated suicide attempters from n onattempters and HRSD scores correlated significantly with cortisol le vels. This study confirms the importance of depressive symptoms in sch izophrenic patients with a history of suicide. Assessment of the hypot halamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in schizophrenia may also provide usefu l information.