DEXAMETHASONE SUPPRESSION TEST AND TRH-TSH TEST IN SUBAFFECTIVE DYSTHYMIA AND CHARACTER-SPECTRUM DISORDER

Based on Akiskal's criteria of subaffective dysthymia (SDT) and charac ter-spectrum disorder (CSD) as the two, etiologically distinct forms o f early-onset primary dysthymia, the authors investigated the dexameth asone suppression test (DST) in 18 patients with SDT and in 30 patient s with CSD. TRH-TSH test was also investigated in smaller subsamples o f the patients (n = 8, and n = 7, respectively). Fifty percent of the patients with SDT showed abnormal DST and TRH-TSH test results respect ively, while the figures in the CSD patients were 7% and 0%. These fin dings suggest that SDT is a clinically diagnosable and biologically di stinct subgroup within the broader category of early-onset primary dys thymia, which represents a symptomatically milder version of primary a ffective disorder.