Background
Hippocampal volume reduction and increased prevalence of subcortical white matter
lesions have been reported in late-life depression. We aimed to examine whether total
number of subcortical white matter lesions were associated with reduced hippocampal
volume in aged female subjects with early-onset depression (<45 years) and healthy
comparison subjects.
Methods
The study included 28 middle-aged and elderly subjects with major depression and 41
age-matched control subjects. Hippocampal, parahippocampal gyrus, and orbitofrontal
cortex volumes were determined using manual tracing methods. White matter lesions
were rated from T2-weighted MRI scans using a semiquantitative classification scale.
Results
After controlling for total brain volume and age, patients had reduced hippocampal
volume due to right hippocampal volume decrease (2.84 mL vs. 3.12 mL, F = 16.6, p < .001). Parahippocampal and orbitofrontal volumes did not differ significantly between
groups. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that reduced hippocampal volume
did not significantly correlate with total number of subcortical white matter lesions
(t = .673, p = .518).
Conclusions
Right hippocampal volume was reduced in aged female early-onset subjects with depression.
Total number of subcortical white matter lesions was not associated with the decrease
in right hippocampal volume. Our data suggest hippocampal involvement, independent
of subcortical white matter lesions, in the neuropathology of early-onset depression.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 9,
2004
Received in revised form:
August 30,
2004
Received:
May 14,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
