5-HT-related, anxiety- and/or aggression-driven depression.

Mood lowering is considered to be the prime factor in the diagnosis of depression. However, it has been proposed that in a subset of cases of depression, the primary symptoms are anxiety and/or aggression. It has also been shown that these symptoms coincide with disturbance of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), which is frequently seen in depressed patients and has been suggested to be a vulnerability factor in the onset of depressive phases. If the concept of this proposed subset of depression--termed "5-HT-related, anxiety-and/or aggression-driven depression"--is accepted, this will lead to a review of the mode of diagnosis of depression and a reorientation of research into antidepressant drugs.