[The present state of the concept of depression (author transl)].

The author discusses the necessity of clarifying the classical dichotomy: endogenous vs. reactive or neurotic depression. The category of neurotic depression seems to be the most controversial. After mentioning the recent study by Klerman and al., he reports the results of an experimental study by Klerman and al., he reports the results of an experimental study conducted with a random sample of 100 French psychiatrists, who were asked to select, in a list of 32 criteria used in France for the diagnosis, those each considered important. A factor analysis of the answers leads to the description of three independent criteria-dimensions, the 100 psychiatrists being randomly distributed in the three dimensional space. The author concludes that each French psychiatrist has its own idiosyncrasic conception of the diagnosis of neurotic depression.