Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is often accompanied by other complications, such as symmetric distal polyneuropathy (SPDN), a progressive neural impairment that affects the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. This disorder is characterized by pain, especially in the foot, characteristically exacerbated at night. Individuals with DM may also be more prone to developing psychiatric disorders, particularly mood disorders. What is not known, however, is if patients with DM that also present with SPDN exhibit mood disorders at an increased rate in comparison to DM patients without SPDN. The study's objective was conducted by Moreira, Papelbaum, and Fontanelle. Appolinario, Ellinger, Coutinho, and Zagury (2007) was to determine the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity in DM patients with SPDN in comparison to DM patients without SPDN. The relationship between symptoms of depression and symptoms/signs of SPDN was also investigated by the researchers. This study hypothesized that there would be a significant association between the presence of SPDN among patients with DM and the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders, particularly mood disorders.
             The participants for this study were sixty-five patients with type 2 DM between the ages of 30 and 65. These participants were selected consecutively to participate in the study from January 2003 to December 2003. The diagnosis of type 2 DM among the patients was based on criteria outlined by the American Diabetes Association. Protocol for the study was approved by an ethics committee, and written, and informed consent was obtained from all participants after they received information regarding the procedures involved in the study. Exclusion criteria for the study included any patients with medical or neurological disorders that were not associated with neuropathy or if they were receiving treatment for psychiatric disorders. Based on these criteria, three participants wer
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