Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38 - A071
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-918693

Sleep and outcome in depressed patients treated with interpersonal psychotherapy

R Göder 1, D Hinze-Selch 1, C Huchzermeier 1, JM Koch 1, M Seeck-Hirschner 1, G Fritzer 1, JB Aldenhoff 1
  • 1Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie / Uniklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel

Earlier findings suggest a relationship between abnormal sleep at baseline and poor treatment outcome in depression under pharmacologic (e.g. Kupfer et al. 1981) and psychotherapeutic (e.g. Thase et al. 1997) treatment. Here we present data from a study which investigated conventional sleep parameters and delta power as correlates of remission after psychotherapy in depressed patients.

Pre-treatment polysomnography was examined in 34 patients (mean age 40 years, 21 women). All patients were treated with interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and did not receive any antidepressant medication. 23 patients took part at a minimum of 12 sessions of IPT. Remission was defined as 2 consecutive weeks with a HAMD score <8.

IPT remitters (N=14) showed a decrease in REM density and a decrease in delta power in slow wave sleep in comparison to non-remitters (N=9) at baseline. These results suggest that phasic REM density measures as well as delta power may serve as markers for a positive therapy response to psychotherapy.