RESUMEN
A number of studies have shown reduced recall of specific autobiographical memories (AMs) in patients after attempted suicide, but in all of them the study samples were confounded with diagnoses of affective disorders. The present study aims to demonstrate impaired specific autobiographical memory in patients after a suicide attempt without a diagnosis of an affective disorder. Four groups were compared: (1) patients with an actual major depression and a suicide attempt; (2) patients after a suicide attempt without a lifetime history of an affective diagnosis; (3) patients currently suffering from major depression without a suicide attempt; and (4) control persons not suffering from either of the two conditions during their entire life. Individuals with major depression and a suicide attempt showed reduced specificity of AM and, most importantly, patients with a suicide attempt-despite the absence of an affective disorder-were equally impaired with recall of specific AMs as were patients with major depression. The authors propose that reduced specific AM is a common vulnerability factor that can lead either to the development of an affective disorder and/or to a suicide attempt.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Recall of autobiographical memories (AM) has shown to predict the course of depression during psychiatric treatment [British Journal of Psychiatry 162 (1993)]; therefore, we assume that AM also predicts the remissive course of depression during detoxification therapy in alcohol dependent men. METHODS: In a longitudinal study, 65 patients were assessed twice: at admission to a detoxification unit and about 3 weeks later for follow-up. AM scores at the beginning of the detoxification program were used as predictors in hierarchical regression analyses. RESULTS: After controlling for initial depression, mental status and degree of alcohol dependence, AM in response to positive and aggressive cue words significantly predicted affective change. These results validate the assumption that AM is a psychological depression marker. LIMITATIONS: No data are reported on depression prior to drinking onset. CONCLUSIONS: As a practical consequence, AM can assist the physician with the decision for concomittant antidepressive therapy during detoxification and rehabilitation of alcohol dependent men.