Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

The debate about whether depressive disorders should be divided into categories or arrayed along a continuum has gone for decade, without resolution. In our review, there is more evidence consistent with the spectrum concept than there is with the idea that depressive disorders constitute discrete clusters marked by relatively discontinuous boundaries. First, "depression spectrum", "is there a common genetic factors in bipolar and unipolar affective disorder", "threshold model of depression" and "bipolar spectrum disorder" are reviewed. And, a new subtype of depression is so called SeCA depression that is a stressor-precipitated, cortisol-induced, serotonin-related, anxiety/aggression-driven depression. SeCA depression is discussed. But, there is with the idea that depressive disorders constitute discrete subtypes marked by relatively discontinuous boundaries. This subtypes of depressive disorder were reviewed from a variety of theoretical frames of reference. The following issues are discussed；Dexamethasone suppression test(DST), TRH stimulation test, MHPG, Temperament Character Inventory(TCI), and heart rate variability(HRV).

Keywords Depression;Subtype;Depressive spectrum disease;SeCA depression;Dexamethasone suppression test(DST);Heart rate variability(HRV).