Vegetative symptoms are disturbances of a person's functions necessary to maintain life (vegetative functions). These disturbances are most commonly seen in
mood disorders
A mood disorder, also known as an affective disorder, is any of a group of conditions of mental and behavioral disorder where a disturbance in the person's mood is the main underlying feature. The classification is in the '' Diagnostic and St ...
, and are part of the diagnostic criteria for
depression, but also appear in other conditions.
Vegetative symptoms in a patient with
typical depression include:
* Weight loss and loss of appetite
* Insomnia
* Fatigue and low energy
* Inattention.
Reversed vegetative symptoms
Reversed vegetative symptoms include only oversleeping (''
hypersomnia
Hypersomnia is a neurological disorder of excessive time spent sleeping or excessive sleepiness. It can have many possible causes (such as seasonal affective disorder) and can cause distress and problems with functioning. In the fifth edition ...
'') and overeating (''
hyperphagia
Polyphagia or hyperphagia is an abnormally strong, incessant sensation of hunger or desire to eat often leading to overeating. In contrast to an increase in appetite following exercise, polyphagia does not subside after eating and often leads to ...
''), as compared to insomnia and loss of
appetite. These features are characteristic of ''
atypical depression
Atypical depression is defined in the '' DSM IV'' as depression that shares many of the typical symptoms of major depressive disorder or dysthymia but is characterized by improved mood in response to positive events. In contrast to those with ...
''.
However, there have been studies
claiming that these symptoms alone are sufficient to diagnose the condition of atypical depression.
See also
*
Sleep disorder
A sleep disorder, or somnipathy, is a medical disorder of an individual's sleep patterns. Some sleep disorders are severe enough to interfere with normal physical, mental, social and emotional functioning. Polysomnography and actigraphy are tests ...
*
Dysautonomia
Dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction is a condition in which the autonomic nervous system (ANS) does not work properly. This may affect the functioning of the heart, bladder, intestines, sweat glands, pupils, and blood vessels. Dysautonomia ha ...
References
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Symptoms and signs of mental disorders