Abstract
Background
A limited number of studies have demonstrated changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in older individuals with depression, but there are considerable inconsistencies between studies.
Aims
To investigate changes in CBF using arterial spin labelling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in people with late-life depression and in a similarly aged healthy control group.
Method
Sixty-eight participants (30 healthy individuals, 38 with depression) underwent ASL and T1-weighted MRI scanning. For each individual, regional estimates of separate grey and white matter CBF were obtained. Group differences in CBF and their associations with clinical features were examined.
Results
Significant increases were observed in white matter CBF in patients with depression relative to the control group (F1,65 = 9.7, P = 0.003). Grey matter CBF in lateral frontal, medial frontal, cingulate, central and parietal regions did not significantly differ between groups (F1,65¿2.1, P¿0.2). A significant correlation was found between white matter CBF and Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores in depression (r' = –0.42, P = 0.03). Further analyses revealed that compared with controls, significant elevation of white matter CBF was apparent in participants whose depression was in remission (n = 21, MADRS¿10, P = 0.001) but not in those with current depression (n = 17, MADRS¿11, P = 0.80).
Conclusions
Findings suggest a compensatory response to white matter pathological change or a response to (or a predictor of) successful antidepressant treatment, perhaps by facilitating neurotransmission in specific circuits and so reducing depressive symptoms.
A limited number of studies have demonstrated changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in older individuals with depression, but there are considerable inconsistencies between studies.
Aims
To investigate changes in CBF using arterial spin labelling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in people with late-life depression and in a similarly aged healthy control group.
Method
Sixty-eight participants (30 healthy individuals, 38 with depression) underwent ASL and T1-weighted MRI scanning. For each individual, regional estimates of separate grey and white matter CBF were obtained. Group differences in CBF and their associations with clinical features were examined.
Results
Significant increases were observed in white matter CBF in patients with depression relative to the control group (F1,65 = 9.7, P = 0.003). Grey matter CBF in lateral frontal, medial frontal, cingulate, central and parietal regions did not significantly differ between groups (F1,65¿2.1, P¿0.2). A significant correlation was found between white matter CBF and Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores in depression (r' = –0.42, P = 0.03). Further analyses revealed that compared with controls, significant elevation of white matter CBF was apparent in participants whose depression was in remission (n = 21, MADRS¿10, P = 0.001) but not in those with current depression (n = 17, MADRS¿11, P = 0.80).
Conclusions
Findings suggest a compensatory response to white matter pathological change or a response to (or a predictor of) successful antidepressant treatment, perhaps by facilitating neurotransmission in specific circuits and so reducing depressive symptoms.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 150-155 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | British Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 200 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 22 Dec 2011 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2012 |