Influence of depressive disorders on the personality characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis

Influence of depressive disorders on the personality characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis

 

Authors

 

N.V. Zarubina

State Budgetary Healthcare Institution “Hospital for War Veterans No. 1 of the Moscow City Health Department”, Moscow, Russian Federation; Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Yaroslavl State Medical University” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russian Federation

 

https://doi.org/10.26617/1810-3111-2024-4(125)-119-128

 

Journal: Siberian Herald of Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. 2024; 4 (125):  119-128.

 

Abstract

Introduction. Currently, the problem of multiple sclerosis (MS) receives increased attention, since patients with this progressive neurodegenerative autoimmune disease of the central nervous system are often young, working-age individuals. In many ways, the success of therapy, recovery or improvement of the condition depends on the patient's personality characteristics and factors that reduce adherence to drug therapy. Particular importance is attached to the study of depression in patients with multiple sclerosis. Objective: to study the effect of depressive disorders on the personality characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis. Study Material. Participants in the research sample (n=325) were divided into groups. The main group (n=203) ‒ patients with multiple sclerosis and depression (n=113), with multiple sclerosis and no depression (n=90), aged 15 to 60 years at the time of examination (mean age 39.7±10.91 years). Taking into account the course of the disease, patients were distributed by the types of MS course: relapsing-remitting (RRMS) (n=179, 88.2%), secondary progressive (SPMS) (n=24, 11.8%). The level of patient disability was determined: RRMS ‒ 2.89±0.16 points, SPMS ‒ 5.0±0.24 points. The comparison group consisted of patients with depressive spectrum disorders (n=70, 21.5%), the average number of depressive episodes in the anamnesis was 2.3±1.18 cases. The control group consisted of neurologically and mentally healthy volunteers (n=52, 16%), whose mean age was 31.86±6.98 years. Methods. The diagnosis of depressive disorder was established in accordance with the ICD-10 criteria by a psychiatrist. To assess the level of depressive disorders, the Beck scale was used; the study of personality traits in patients was carried out using the Mini-Mult questionnaire. Mathematical data processing was carried out using the Microsoft Excel, Statistica 10.0 software packages. The normality of distribution of quantitative data was checked using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Comparison of two groups by a quantitative indicator, the distribution of which differed from normal, was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results. According to the results of the study using the Mini-Mult questionnaire, statistically significant differences were revealed in the scales: 1) hypochondria ‒ in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.012276*), in men with depressive spectrum disorders of the comparison group (p=0.030902*), 2) depression ‒ in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.000015***), in patients with depressive spectrum disorders of the comparison group (p=0.002351**), 3) hysteria ‒ in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.000004***), in patients with secondary progressive course of MS (p=0.000035***), 4) psychopathy ‒ in patients of the main group (p=0.009287**) and in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.002164**), 5) psychasthenia ‒ in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.000637***), in patients with depressive spectrum disorders of the comparison group (p=0.001129**), in patients with secondary progressive MS (p=0.00187**), 6) schizoid personality ‒ in women of the main group with MS and depression (p=0.001271**), in patients with secondary progressive MS (p=0.007259**), 7) hypomania ‒ in men of the control group (p=0.043139*) and in patients with depressive spectrum disorders of the comparison group (p=0.002582**). Anxious depression is more common in the main group of patients with multiple sclerosis (45.71%) and in patients with depressive spectrum disorders in the comparison group (31.87%). Disease progression with transition to a secondary progressive course is was often accompanied by depression, which contributes to the aggravation of personality traits, especially in women with high scores on the across the scales “neurotic triad”: hypochondria, depression and hysteria. Significant changes in personality traits occurred under the influence of apathetic depression in patients with high values on the psychopathy and psychasthenia scales, schizoid and paranoid personality traits appeared. Depression with hypochondriacal manifestations is associated with an increase in values on the hypochondria, hysteria, schizoid scales. Melancholic depression intensified the manifestations of hypochondriacal experiences. Conclusion. Depressive symptoms complicate the course of MS, lead to personality disturbances, reduce adherence to therapy with drugs that modify the course of MS, and the rehabilitation potential.

 

Keywords: multiple sclerosis, depressive disorders, personality disturbances.

 

Article (pdf)

 

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Materials  

For citation: Zarubina N.V. Influence of depressive disorders on the personality characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis. Siberian Herald of Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.2024; 4 (125): 119-128. https://doi.org/10.26617/1810-3111-2024-4(125)-119-128

 

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