Ge Xiong1, Daifeng Dong1, Chang Cheng1, Yali Jiang1, Xiaoqiang Sun1, Jiayue He1, Chuting Li2, Yidian Gao1, Xue Zhong1, Haofei Zhao1, Xiang Wang2, Shuqiao Yao3. 1. Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. 2. Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; China National Clinical Research Center on Mental disorders (Xiangya), Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. 3. Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; China National Clinical Research Center on Mental disorders (Xiangya), Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. Electronic address: shuqiaoyao@csu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The high recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) may derive from underlying state-independent structural alterations. METHODS: First-episode drug-naïve currently depressed (cMDD) patients (N = 97), remitted depressed (RD) patients (N = 72), and healthy controls (HCs, N = 100) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Group differences in cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), and local gyrification index (lGI) were analyzed in FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Both groups of depressed patients had significantly decreased CT, relative to HCs, in the left precentral gyrus and significantly increased lGI values in the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) indicative of state-independent alterations. Relative to HCs, the cMDD group had decreased CT of the SFG, caudal middle frontal gyrus (MFG), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and lateral occipital regions as well as increased SA or lGI of the superior temporal gyrus, precuneus, and pericalcarine, whereas the RD group had increased SA or lGI of the SFG, caudal MFG, and supramarginal gyrus; these alterations appeared to be state-dependent. SA or lGI values of the fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and superior parietal lobule differed between the cMDD and RD groups, consistent with state-dependent alterations. Beck depression inventory scores correlated with CT or lGI values of the caudal MFG, lateral occipital cortex in depressed patients. LIMITATIONS: The structural features of several subcortical limbic regions were not analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Left precentral gyrus CT and left SFG gyrification alterations may represent state-independent alterations in MDD.
BACKGROUND: The high recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) may derive from underlying state-independent structural alterations. METHODS: First-episode drug-naïve currently depressed (cMDD) patients (N = 97), remitted depressed (RD) patients (N = 72), and healthy controls (HCs, N = 100) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Group differences in cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), and local gyrification index (lGI) were analyzed in FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Both groups of depressedpatients had significantly decreased CT, relative to HCs, in the left precentral gyrus and significantly increased lGI values in the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) indicative of state-independent alterations. Relative to HCs, the cMDD group had decreased CT of the SFG, caudal middle frontal gyrus (MFG), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and lateral occipital regions as well as increased SA or lGI of the superior temporal gyrus, precuneus, and pericalcarine, whereas the RD group had increased SA or lGI of the SFG, caudal MFG, and supramarginal gyrus; these alterations appeared to be state-dependent. SA or lGI values of the fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and superior parietal lobule differed between the cMDD and RD groups, consistent with state-dependent alterations. Beck depression inventory scores correlated with CT or lGI values of the caudal MFG, lateral occipital cortex in depressedpatients. LIMITATIONS: The structural features of several subcortical limbic regions were not analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Left precentral gyrus CT and left SFG gyrification alterations may represent state-independent alterations in MDD.