This paper reviews the concept of depression and the contemporary nosology of depressive states with their different subtypes. Course (acute vs chronic depressions, seasonal pattern) and phenomenological characteristics (melancholic, atypical, psychotic and catatonic features) are discussed, as well as the importance and meaning of psychomotor disturbance for the diagnosis of the so-called "endogenous" or "vital" depression, in accordance with contemporary authors (Parker and Widlöcher). This paper also discusses the boundaries of depression with bipolar disorder, personality disorders, demoralisation and normal feelings of sadness, as well as the limits with other clinical diseases and drug induced conditions.
Depression; mood disorders; melancholia; atypical depression; seasonal pattern; diagnosis; nosology
