Psychological correlates of the dexamethasone suppression test response and of the shortened REM sleep latency in depressed outpatients.

The overlap between REM sleep latency and DST response was investigated in a group of 117 mildly depressed outpatients. No significant correlation between these two biological markers could be evidenced. The MMPI profile of the DST suppressors was clearly different from the non-suppressors' profile indicating a more severe clinical condition at that moment. REM sleep latency did not contribute to the psychological and clinical subtyping of this depressive sample.