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Depression and daily temperature

Acta Psychiatrica ScandinavicaPublished 1 October 1976
B. Pflug, Robert C. Erikson, Anders Johnsson
Citations76
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score2.51
SNIP2.00

TL;DR

Changes were found in the daily temperature rhythm which resulted in a temperature maximum earlier in the day during the depression, which can be explained as indicating a desynchronization phenomenon of the circadian rhythms.

Abstract

In a long-term observation of a manic-depressive female patient, three depressive episodes and two intervals without complaints were studied. During this period, the oral temperature was measured every 3 h. The temperature values were compared with a self-rating scale of the patient. The oral temperature showed a different pattern on the depressive days as compared with the interval days. The average temperature values were higher on depressive days. During the depression, changes were found in the daily temperature rhythm which resulted in a temperature maximum earlier in the day. The changes can be explained as indicating a desynchronization phenomenon of the circadian rhythms.

Keywords

PsychologyMedicineNeuroscience