Major depressive disorder physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Mitra Chitsazan, M.D.[2]

Physical examination of patients with major depressive disorder is usually normal.

Physical examination of patients with major depressive disorder is usually normal. A mental status examination may provide valuable information in patients with major depressive disorder: ^[1]

• General appearance:
  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation
  • Poor eye contact
  • Tearful
  • Inattentive to personal appearance
• Affect:
  • Constricted or labile
• Mood:
  • Depressed
  • Irritable
  • Frustrated
  • Sad
• Speech:
  • Little or no spontaneity
  • Monosyllabic
  • Long pauses
  • Soft, low monotone
• Thought content:
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Obsessive rumination
  • Pervasive feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, guilt
  • Somatic preoccupation
  • Indecisiveness
  • Poverty of through content
  • Mood-congruent hallucinations and delusions
• Cognition:
  • Distractile
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Poor memory
  • Apparent disorientation
  • Impaired abstract thinking
• Insight and judgment:
  • Impaired