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Article: Depression
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Aging
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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DEPRESSION
Various forms of clinical depression are defined by the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM IV). According to this classification scheme, five or more symptoms (see Table 1) must be present during the same two-week period, and they must represent a change from previous functioning, in order for a person to receive a diagnosis of
major depressive disorder
(MDD). At least one of these symptoms must be either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure (i.e., anhedonia). The symptoms must cause distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, and they must not be ...