Whiter matter abnormalities in medication-naive subjects with a single short-duration episode of major depressive disorder

Psychiatry Res. 2011 Jan 30;191(1):80-3. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.09.002. Epub 2010 Dec 10.

Abstract

Convergent studies have implicated white matter abnormalities in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to examine white matter abnormalities in 23 single-episode, medication-naive MDD participants versus 21 healthy control participants. Voxel-based analysis was used to investigate whole brain white matter abnormalities in the MDD group. Fractional anisotropy was significantly lower and apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly higher in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) within the frontal lobe, right middle frontal and left parietal white matter in the MDD group compared with the healthy group.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anisotropy
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / pathology*
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / pathology*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Young Adult