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Abstract
In this report, data are presented on pre- and postdexamethasone cortisol levels,
neuropsychological testing, and computed tomography (CT) scan findings in 30 depressed
patients (15 psychotic and 15 nonpsychotic). Particularly significant findings were
observed when data from the unipolar subgroup (n = 22) were analyzed separately. Unipolar
psychotic depressed patients had significantly larger (p < 0.05) anterior pole and cella media ventricle-to-brain ratios (VBRs) and significantly greater (p < 0.05) left and right inferior parietal brain “atrophy” than nonpsychotic depressed patients.
Higher rates of Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) nonsuppression were observed
in psychotic depressed patients and in patients with larger cella VBRs. Inferior parietal
brain atrophv and large VBRs were also associated with greater cognitive impairment
on psychometric testing. Implications of these findings are discussed.
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Article info
Publication history
Received in revised form:
December 24,
1988
Received:
July 26,
1988
Footnotes
☆Supported in part by NIMH Grant MH-38671, a grant from the Poitras Charitable Foundation, and by a grant from the Ruth Rothstein Greif Fund.
Identification
Copyright
© 1989 Published by Elsevier Inc.
