NOSOLOGICAL VALIDITY OF DYSTHYMIA - PART II - FAMILIAL, COMORBIDITY, BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DATA

If some recent studies seem to reveal a more specific familial relatio nship for dysthymia in addition to a previously known familial relatio nship to mood disorders, and if results concerning the relationship be tween dysthymia and depressive personality as well as the search for p ossible biological and psychological correlates support the nosologica l validity of dysthymia, comorbidity studies raise difficult questions . Both comorbidity studies with Axis I and Axis II disorders challenge the validity of dysthymia, but as well they question the categorical model presently in use more than the validity of a definite category. However, there are now enough data confirming some of the hypotheses i mplied by the nosological construct of dysthymia inside this model for this category not to be discarded. For instance, dysthymia is definit ely not a personality disorder, and appears also distinct from major d epression. The problem of the complex nature of the relationship betwe en dysthymia and major depression still remains unsolved. (C) 1998 Els evier, Paris.