Abstract
Background: Most empirically derived antidepressants increase monoamine levels. The nuclei of cells synthesising these monoamines are located in the brainstem, and projection tracts such as the medial forebrain bundle reach virtually all other brain areas. Two studies of unipolar depressive illness using transcranial ultrasound have reported reduced echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients. This may be consistent with disruption of white matter tracts, including the medial forebrain bundle, and it has been suggested that the effect of such disruption could be reversed by antidepressants.
Objective: To replicate these findings in a group of unipolar depressed patients and controls.
Methods: Fifteen unipolar depressed patients and 15 controls were studied using transcranial ultrasound imaging and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI). Results: No difference in echogenicity of the brainstem midline of unipolar depressed patients was found. A possible trend (Cohen's d = 0.39) in the direction of previous studies was found. Although the echogenicity of the brainstem midline of the control group was found to be similar to previous reports, there was no reduction in the patient group. Additionally, no structural abnormality of the brainstem was identified using DT-MRI.
Conclusions: While these data do not replicate the findings of previous studies reporting a significant reduction in the echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients, the ultrasound investigation indicated that there may be a trend in this direction. Given the importance of identifying the causes of depressive illness, it is important that other groups attempt similar studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1510-1515 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry |
| Volume | 76 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2005 |
Keywords
- limbic system
- Parkinsons disease
- major depression
- sonography
- images
- cortex
- raphne
- echogenicity
- projections
- hypothesis
Cite this
Possible Structural Abnormaility of the Brainstem in Unipolar Depressive Illness : A Transcranial Ultrasound and Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. / Steele, John Douglas; Bastin, M. E.; Wardlaw, J. M.; Ebmeier, K. P.
In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, Vol. 76, 2005, p. 1510-1515.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Possible Structural Abnormaility of the Brainstem in Unipolar Depressive Illness
T2 - A Transcranial Ultrasound and Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
AU - Steele, John Douglas
AU - Bastin, M. E.
AU - Wardlaw, J. M.
AU - Ebmeier, K. P.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Background: Most empirically derived antidepressants increase monoamine levels. The nuclei of cells synthesising these monoamines are located in the brainstem, and projection tracts such as the medial forebrain bundle reach virtually all other brain areas. Two studies of unipolar depressive illness using transcranial ultrasound have reported reduced echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients. This may be consistent with disruption of white matter tracts, including the medial forebrain bundle, and it has been suggested that the effect of such disruption could be reversed by antidepressants. Objective: To replicate these findings in a group of unipolar depressed patients and controls. Methods: Fifteen unipolar depressed patients and 15 controls were studied using transcranial ultrasound imaging and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI). Results: No difference in echogenicity of the brainstem midline of unipolar depressed patients was found. A possible trend (Cohen's d = 0.39) in the direction of previous studies was found. Although the echogenicity of the brainstem midline of the control group was found to be similar to previous reports, there was no reduction in the patient group. Additionally, no structural abnormality of the brainstem was identified using DT-MRI. Conclusions: While these data do not replicate the findings of previous studies reporting a significant reduction in the echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients, the ultrasound investigation indicated that there may be a trend in this direction. Given the importance of identifying the causes of depressive illness, it is important that other groups attempt similar studies.
AB - Background: Most empirically derived antidepressants increase monoamine levels. The nuclei of cells synthesising these monoamines are located in the brainstem, and projection tracts such as the medial forebrain bundle reach virtually all other brain areas. Two studies of unipolar depressive illness using transcranial ultrasound have reported reduced echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients. This may be consistent with disruption of white matter tracts, including the medial forebrain bundle, and it has been suggested that the effect of such disruption could be reversed by antidepressants. Objective: To replicate these findings in a group of unipolar depressed patients and controls. Methods: Fifteen unipolar depressed patients and 15 controls were studied using transcranial ultrasound imaging and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI). Results: No difference in echogenicity of the brainstem midline of unipolar depressed patients was found. A possible trend (Cohen's d = 0.39) in the direction of previous studies was found. Although the echogenicity of the brainstem midline of the control group was found to be similar to previous reports, there was no reduction in the patient group. Additionally, no structural abnormality of the brainstem was identified using DT-MRI. Conclusions: While these data do not replicate the findings of previous studies reporting a significant reduction in the echogenicity of the brainstem midline in unipolar depressed patients, the ultrasound investigation indicated that there may be a trend in this direction. Given the importance of identifying the causes of depressive illness, it is important that other groups attempt similar studies.
KW - limbic system
KW - Parkinsons disease
KW - major depression
KW - sonography
KW - images
KW - cortex
KW - raphne
KW - echogenicity
KW - projections
KW - hypothesis
U2 - 10.1136/jnnp.2005.057612
DO - 10.1136/jnnp.2005.057612
M3 - Article
VL - 76
SP - 1510
EP - 1515
JO - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
SN - 0022-3050
ER -