The number of studies reporting significant and clinically relevant differences between psychotic depression (PD) and non-PD has increased considerably over the past decades. This summary of the current evidence suggests that psychotic depression now fulfils the criteria for a valid psychiatric syndrome.
Researchers Søren Dinesen Østergaard, Anthony J. Rothschild, Peter Uggerby, Povl Munk-Jørgensen, Per Bech and Ole Mors say the suggested redefinition of psychotic depression in the ICD-11 is merited, and such a revision will be of benefit to both research and clinical practice.
Psychotic Depression – Delusional Depression
The researchers have collected new data that support a new classification of psychotic depression (PD), i.e. depression that is accompanied by psychotic symptoms, also referred to as delusional depression in the DSM-IV.
Based on finding various clinical, therapeutic and prognostic differences between PD and non-psychotic depression (non-PD), it was proposed that PD should be re-classified as a class of depression in its own right.