Katharina Dohm1, Ronny Redlich1, Pienie Zwitserlood2, Udo Dannlowski1,3. 1. 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. 2. 2 Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. 3. 3 Department of Psychiatry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Structural and functional brain alterations in major depression disorder (MDD) are well studied in cross-sectional designs, but little is known about the causality between onset and course of depression on the one hand, and neurobiological changes over time on the other. To explore the direction of causality, longitudinal studies with a long time window (preferably years) are needed, but only few have been undertaken so far. This article reviews all prospective neuroimaging studies in MDD patients currently available and provides a critical discussion of methodological challenges involved in the investigation of the causal relationship between brain alterations and the course of MDD. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review of studies published before September 2015, to identify structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that assess the relation between neuronal alterations and MDD in longitudinal (⩾1 year) designs. RESULTS: Only 15 studies meeting minimal standards were identified. An analysis of these longitudinal data showed a large heterogeneity between studies regarding design, samples, imaging methods, spatial restrictions and, consequently, results. There was a strong relationship between brain-volume outcomes and the current mood state, whereas longitudinal studies failed to clarify the influence of pre-existing brain changes on depressive outcome. CONCLUSION: So far, available longitudinal studies cannot resolve the causality between the course of depression and neurobiological changes over time. Future studies should combine high methodological standards with large sample sizes. Cooperation in multi-center studies is indispensable to attain sufficient sample sizes, and should allow careful assessment of possible confounders.
OBJECTIVE: Structural and functional brain alterations in major depression disorder (MDD) are well studied in cross-sectional designs, but little is known about the causality between onset and course of depression on the one hand, and neurobiological changes over time on the other. To explore the direction of causality, longitudinal studies with a long time window (preferably years) are needed, but only few have been undertaken so far. This article reviews all prospective neuroimaging studies in MDDpatients currently available and provides a critical discussion of methodological challenges involved in the investigation of the causal relationship between brain alterations and the course of MDD. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review of studies published before September 2015, to identify structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that assess the relation between neuronal alterations and MDD in longitudinal (⩾1 year) designs. RESULTS: Only 15 studies meeting minimal standards were identified. An analysis of these longitudinal data showed a large heterogeneity between studies regarding design, samples, imaging methods, spatial restrictions and, consequently, results. There was a strong relationship between brain-volume outcomes and the current mood state, whereas longitudinal studies failed to clarify the influence of pre-existing brain changes on depressive outcome. CONCLUSION: So far, available longitudinal studies cannot resolve the causality between the course of depression and neurobiological changes over time. Future studies should combine high methodological standards with large sample sizes. Cooperation in multi-center studies is indispensable to attain sufficient sample sizes, and should allow careful assessment of possible confounders.
Entities:
Keywords:
Unipolar depression; longitudinal; magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Tilo Kircher; Markus Wöhr; Igor Nenadic; Rainer Schwarting; Gerhard Schratt; Judith Alferink; Carsten Culmsee; Holger Garn; Tim Hahn; Bertram Müller-Myhsok; Astrid Dempfle; Maik Hahmann; Andreas Jansen; Petra Pfefferle; Harald Renz; Marcella Rietschel; Stephanie H Witt; Markus Nöthen; Axel Krug; Udo Dannlowski Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2018-09-28 Impact factor: 5.270
Authors: Nandita Vijayakumar; Nicholas B Allen; Meg Dennison; Michelle L Byrne; Julian G Simmons; Sarah Whittle Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2017-05-24 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Janik Goltermann; Ronny Redlich; Katharina Dohm; Dario Zaremba; Jonathan Repple; Claas Kaehler; Dominik Grotegerd; Katharina Förster; Susanne Meinert; Verena Enneking; Emily Schlaghecken; Lara Fleischer; Tim Hahn; Harald Kugel; Andreas Jansen; Axel Krug; Katharina Brosch; Igor Nenadic; Simon Schmitt; Frederike Stein; Tina Meller; Dilara Yüksel; Elena Fischer; Marcella Rietschel; Stephanie H Witt; Andreas J Forstner; Markus M Nöthen; Tilo Kircher; Anbupalam Thalamuthu; Bernhard T Baune; Udo Dannlowski; Nils Opel Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2019-05-27 Impact factor: 4.003
Authors: Hannah Lemke; Hannah Klute; Jennifer Skupski; Katharina Thiel; Lena Waltemate; Alexandra Winter; Fabian Breuer; Susanne Meinert; Melissa Klug; Verena Enneking; Nils R Winter; Dominik Grotegerd; Elisabeth J Leehr; Jonathan Repple; Katharina Dohm; Nils Opel; Frederike Stein; Tina Meller; Katharina Brosch; Kai G Ringwald; Julia-Katharina Pfarr; Florian Thomas-Odenthal; Tim Hahn; Axel Krug; Andreas Jansen; Walter Heindel; Igor Nenadić; Tilo Kircher; Udo Dannlowski Journal: Transl Psychiatry Date: 2022-08-27 Impact factor: 7.989