Electrodermal Hyporeactivity And Depression

Suicide, suicide attempts and depression are major social problems. The present research program focuses on the relationship between electrodermal hyporeactivity, as measured by the ElectroDermal Orienting Reactivity (EDOR) Test, and suicide and suicide attempts with death intent in patients with a primary diagnosis of depression. Electrodermal hyporeactivity has in several publications from different laboratories repeatedly been shown to have a high sensitivity (up to 97%) and high raw specificity (up to 98%) for suicide. Such levels are unique in psychiatry. The relationship between suicidal propensity and hyporeactivity can be considered as strongly significant. Almost all evidence in the topic up today has been established in research settings with specific exclusion criteria for some secondary psychiatric and some somatic illnesses. However, it is important to study the relationship between electrodermal hyporeactivity and suicide in relatively unselected patients regarding secondary psychiatric diagnoses and somatic diagnoses in a natural clinical ward situation and milieu. A previous naturalistic study proved that a test of electrodermal hyporeactivity fits very well into the daily clinical work.