The genetic evidence concerning affective illness of later life is still conflicting and the relationship of such conditions to the manic-depressive psychosis unclear. Kallman (1955) believed that, genetically, involutional melancholia bore a closer relationship to schizophrenia than to the manic-depressive psychosis. An increased risk for schizophrenia amongst the relatives of such patients was not observed by Kay (1959) and Stenstedt (1952). Both these writers do however describe a lower loading for manic-depressive psychosis than would be found amongst the relations of manic-depressive patients, though a much higher incidence than in the general population. Both Stenstedt and Kay assumed that they were dealing with a heterogeneous group of patients containing both psychotic and neurotic depressions.
The literature concerning the therapeutic effects of the administration of reserpine to patients who fail to respond satisfactorily is discussed briefly. A double-blind study was conducted on 14 patients; eight were given 5 mg of reserpine i.m. and six were given 2 ml of normal saline on 2 successive days. The administration of the tricyclic antidepressants the patients had been taking, was continued. The Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale was administered on the day before treatment was commenced, and repeated on the fourth day. Statistical analysis revealed that the patients who received reserpine showed a highly significant improvement of a good quality. The mean fall in the Hamilton rating for the placebo group was 6 points, and in the reserpine group it was 18.87. The therapeutic significance of the findings is discussed.
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