Symptoms of depression in schizophrenia.

516 In an article in this issue Heald et al in their study on characterization of depression in schizophrenia report that the precise nature of depressive symptoms present in different phases of the schizophrenic illness can be differentiated qualitatively from primary depression. The authors introduce about the history, prevalence and importance of depressive symptoms in schizophrenics. Three groups of patients of an acute schizophrenic episode (DepASch), stable schizophrenia (DepChrSch) and primary major depression were compared on demographic variables and on clinical rating scales for depression and the PANSS scale. Eventhough generalisability of the sample patients is lacking, the findings are supported by the concordance findings with other studies.