OBJECTIVE: Dysfunction of neuronal plasticity or remodelling seems to contribute to the pathopysiology of major depression and may cause the well-documented hippocampal changes in depression. We aimed to investigate whether reduced hippocampal volumes correlate with executive dysfunctioning or memory dysfunctioning or with depression severity. METHODS: We recruited 34 inpatients with a previous or current episode of major depression from the department of psychiatry at the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany. We examined the 34 patients and 34 healthy control subjects with structural high resolution MRI. We assessed cognitive functions with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and severity of depression with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. RESULTS: Hippocampal volumes and frontal lobe volumes were significantly smaller in patients, compared with healthy control subjects. Furthermore, lower hippocampal volumes were correlated with poorer performance in the WCST. No significant correlations were found between hippocampal volumes and RAVLT performance or severity of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings emphasize that patients with reduced hippocampal volumes show more executive dysfunctions than their counterparts. Thus, the mechanisms resulting in reduced hippocampal volumes seem to be related to the development of major depression.
OBJECTIVE: Dysfunction of neuronal plasticity or remodelling seems to contribute to the pathopysiology of major depression and may cause the well-documented hippocampal changes in depression. We aimed to investigate whether reduced hippocampal volumes correlate with executive dysfunctioning or memory dysfunctioning or with depression severity. METHODS: We recruited 34 inpatients with a previous or current episode of major depression from the department of psychiatry at the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany. We examined the 34 patients and 34 healthy control subjects with structural high resolution MRI. We assessed cognitive functions with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and severity of depression with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. RESULTS: Hippocampal volumes and frontal lobe volumes were significantly smaller in patients, compared with healthy control subjects. Furthermore, lower hippocampal volumes were correlated with poorer performance in the WCST. No significant correlations were found between hippocampal volumes and RAVLT performance or severity of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings emphasize that patients with reduced hippocampal volumes show more executive dysfunctions than their counterparts. Thus, the mechanisms resulting in reduced hippocampal volumes seem to be related to the development of major depression.
Authors: E Mervaala; J Föhr; M Könönen; M Valkonen-Korhonen; P Vainio; K Partanen; J Partanen; J Tiihonen; H Viinamäki; A K Karjalainen; J Lehtonen Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2000-01 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: N C Andreasen; G Cohen; G Harris; T Cizadlo; J Parkkinen; K Rezai; V W Swayze Journal: J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 1992 Impact factor: 2.198
Authors: J Douglas Bremner; Meena Vythilingam; Eric Vermetten; Ahsan Nazeer; Jahangir Adil; Sarfraz Khan; Lawrence H Staib; Dennis S Charney Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2002-02-15 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: Aaron Reuben; Adam M Brickman; Jordan Muraskin; Jason Steffener; Yaakov Stern Journal: J Int Neuropsychol Soc Date: 2010-11-24 Impact factor: 2.892
Authors: Kaan Yucel; Margaret C McKinnon; Valerie H Taylor; Kathryn Macdonald; Martin Alda; L Trevor Young; Glenda M MacQueen Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2007-08-20 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: P Cédric M P Koolschijn; Neeltje E M van Haren; Gerty J L M Lensvelt-Mulders; Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol; René S Kahn Journal: Hum Brain Mapp Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 5.038