Is alexithymia a personality trait increasing the risk of depression? A prospective study evaluating alexithymia before, during and after a depressive episode

Background. Whether alexithymia is a personality trait that increases the risk of major depression (MID) is still debated. In this prospective Study, alexithymic levels were evaluated before, during and after a depressive episode. Method. The alexithymic levels, the presence of MID and the severity of anxious-depressive symptoms were evaluated at intervals of about I month in pregnant women attending the Centers for Prenatal Care, Using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results. Sixteen women affected by MID, 21 affected by subthreshold depression and 112 non-depressed women were included in the study. Women who developed depression, compared to non-depressed women, showed similar TAS and HADS scores during the pre-morbid phase, a significant increase in the scores during depression and a significant decrease after remission, whereas no change. vas observed in non-depressed women. Conclusions. Our data suggest that in pregnant women alexithymia does not represent a personality trait that increases the risk of developing a depressive episode, and the), Support the hypothesis that alexithymia is a state-dependent phenomenon in depressed pregnant women.