Background
The hippocampus is likely involved in mood disorders, but in vivo evidence for the
role of anatomically distinct hippocampal subregions is lacking. Multiple sclerosis,
an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, is linked to a high prevalence
of depression as well as hippocampal damage and may thus provide important insight
into the pathologic correlates of medical depression. We examined the role of subregional
hippocampal volume for depression in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Methods
Anatomically defined hippocampal subregional volumes (cornu ammonis 1–3 [CA1–CA3]
and the dentate gyrus [CA23DG], subiculum, entorhinal cortex) were measured using
a high-resolution T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging sequence in 29 relapsing-remitting
multiple sclerosis patients and 20 matched healthy control subjects. Diurnal salivary
cortisol was assessed at awakening, 4 pm, and 9 pm on 2 consecutive days. Subjects also completed the Beck Depression Inventory.
Results
Multiple sclerosis patients showed smaller hippocampal volumes compared with control
subjects, particularly in the CA1 and subiculum subregions. In addition, multiple
sclerosis patients with depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory score >13)
also showed smaller CA23DG volumes and higher cortisol levels. Within the multiple
sclerosis group, CA23DG volume was correlated with depressive symptoms and cortisol
levels. There were no associations with number of previous steroid treatments, global
atrophy, or disease duration.
Conclusions
This report provides in vivo evidence for selective association of smaller CA23DG
subregional volumes in the hippocampus with cortisol hypersecretion and depressive
symptoms in multiple sclerosis.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 21, 2010
Accepted:
April 21,
2010
Received in revised form:
March 26,
2010
Received:
January 25,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
