Biomedical subjects

H O Doerr

Publications and source records attributed to H O Doerr.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1986

Skin conductance. A potentially sensitive and specific marker for depression.

Resting skin conductance levels (SCLs) were measured in 50 patients with unipolar depression, in 71 controls (control group 1), and in 334 "stressed" normal controls (control group 2) who were first parents of newborns. The depressed group had significantly (p less than .00001) lower SCLs than did either control group, but the two control groups did not differ from each other. For women a criterion of SCL less than 3.0 micronho/cm2 yielded a sensitivity of 95% (SE 4.4%) and a specificity of 91% (SE 5.0%) for Control Group 1. For males a criterion of SCL less than 4.8 yielded a sensitivity of 93% (SE 4.9%) and a specificity of 89% (SE 5.0%) for control group 1. There was no significant difference in SCL between drug-free and medicated patients. SCL was abnormally low in all depression subtypes.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Skin conductance: a potentially sensitive test for depression.

The mean resting skin conductance level (SCL) in 31 inpatients with major unipolar depression was 2.63 mumho/cm2 +/- SD 1.41 compared to 7.81 mumho/cm2 +/- SD 3.0 in the control group. The best criterion below which an SCL could be considered abnormal was 4.3 mumho/cm2 with a resulting sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 89%. There was a significant difference in SCL between males and females but none between drug-free and medicated patients. SCL was abnormal in all depression subtypes. The SCL may represent a biological final common pathway in depression and may prove to be a very effective diagnostic test for depression.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

Skin conductance characteristics of depressed subjects before and after therapeutic intervention.

Three hypotheses were tested in a population of depressed patients: a) electrical skin conductance levels and responses are lower in depressed individuals; b) skin conductance levels and responses are lower in the right hand than the left hand of right-handed depressed individuals; and c) skin conductance levels and responses will increase in magnitude after successful therapeutic intervention. The data supported only the first hypothesis. Results may have implications for a trait vs. state differentiation of the depressive process.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Electrodermal reactivity: an analysis by age and sex.

Resting electrodermal levels and electrodermal response to Valsalva maneuver were measured in males and females of three age groups (young, middle-aged, old). Significant sex and age effects were observed. Young and middle-aged females had lower electrodermal resting levels than males. These differences were reversed for the young age group during a Valsalva maneuver, where the females larger specific responses. With old age, sex differences diminished, resting state conductance levels decreased, but the specific conductance responses to Valsalva remained relatively unchanged. Results demonstrate interactive age and sex effects on the electrodermal measure. Possible relevance of the data to sex differences in adaptation and stress response are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1980