THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHM MEASUREMENTS IN ADOLESCENTS WITH DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

초록

Objectives Disturbed circadian rhythm can have a negative effect on a person’s ability to sleep and function properly, and can result in a number of health problems, including mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. The effect of circadian rhythm even appears in adolescents. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between clinical characteristics of depression and parameters of circadian rhythm in adolescents with depressive disorder. Methods We recruited 61 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years diagnosed with a depressive disorder confirmed by the research protocol. Patients took self-report measurements of the circadian rhythm including the Korean version of the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (K-BRIAN), the Korean Translation of Composite Scale to Measure Morningness-Eveningness (KtCS), and the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). The clinical characteristics of depression were also investigated using the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Korean version of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-MDQ), and the number of episode counts. Patients were also divided into different groups according to the number of the episode counts. Results Participants were divided into 2 groups according to the number of depressive episodes (first-episode [n = 22], recurrent [n = 39]). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the measured parameters of circadian rhythm. The number of episodes and circadian rhythm parameters also showed no significant correlations. Severity of depression as measured in the CDI showed significant correlation with the parameters of K-BRIAN (sleep: r = 0.661, p < .01; activities: r = 0.642, p < .01; social rhythm: r = 0.713, p < .01; and eating pattern: r = 0.397, p < .01). The severity of depression was also significantly correlated with KtCS scores (r = -0.475, p < .001). As depression became more severe, an evening preference was more pronounced. Conclusions Disturbance of circadian rhythm in adolescents appears to be important in the pathophysiology of depression. However, depression in adolescents is not yet as chronic as it is in adults. Therefore, differences according to the number of depressive episodes have not yet been found. This seems to be an important difference compared to adult depression.