White matter abnormalities and illness severity in major depressive disorder

TY - JOUR

T1 - White matter abnormalities and illness severity in major depressive disorder

AU - Cole, James

AU - Chaddock, Christopher A.

AU - Farmer, Anne E.

AU - Aitchison, Katherine J.

AU - Simmons, Andrew

AU - McGuffin, Peter

AU - Fu, Cynthia H. Y.

PY - 2012/7

Y1 - 2012/7

N2 - BackgroundWhite matter abnormalities have been implicated in the aetiology of major depressive disorder; however, the relationship between the severity of symptoms and white matter integrity is currently unclear.AimsTo investigate white matter integrity in people with major depression and healthy controls, and to assess its relationship with depressive symptom severity.MethodDiffusion tensor imaging data were acquired from 66 patients with recurrent major depression and a control group of 66 healthy individuals matched for age, gender and IQ score, and analysed with tract-based spatial statistics. The relationship between white matter integrity and severity of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory was examined.ResultsDepressive illness was associated with widespread regions of decreased white matter integrity, including regions in the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus and anterior corona radiata, compared with the control group. Increasing symptom severity was negatively correlated with white matter integrity, predominantly in the corpus callosum.ConclusionsWidespread alterations in white matter integrity are evident in major depressive disorder. These abnormalities are heightened with increasing severity of depressive symptoms.

AB - BackgroundWhite matter abnormalities have been implicated in the aetiology of major depressive disorder; however, the relationship between the severity of symptoms and white matter integrity is currently unclear.AimsTo investigate white matter integrity in people with major depression and healthy controls, and to assess its relationship with depressive symptom severity.MethodDiffusion tensor imaging data were acquired from 66 patients with recurrent major depression and a control group of 66 healthy individuals matched for age, gender and IQ score, and analysed with tract-based spatial statistics. The relationship between white matter integrity and severity of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory was examined.ResultsDepressive illness was associated with widespread regions of decreased white matter integrity, including regions in the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus and anterior corona radiata, compared with the control group. Increasing symptom severity was negatively correlated with white matter integrity, predominantly in the corpus callosum.ConclusionsWidespread alterations in white matter integrity are evident in major depressive disorder. These abnormalities are heightened with increasing severity of depressive symptoms.

KW - GERIATRIC DEPRESSION

KW - WHOLE-BRAIN

KW - CORPUS-CALLOSUM

KW - ANTIDEPRESSANT TREATMENT

KW - MICROSTRUCTURAL ABNORMALITIES

KW - WORKING-MEMORY

KW - LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION

KW - SYMPTOM SEVERITY

KW - COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

KW - ANTERIOR CINGULATE

U2 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.100594

DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.100594

M3 - Article

C2 - 22576724

SN - 1472-1465

VL - 201

SP - 33

EP - 39

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

JF - British Journal of Psychiatry

IS - 1

ER -