Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Cornwell, 2010 PubMed |
| Full Info | Cornwell, B.R., Salvadore, G., Colon-Rosario, V., Latov, D.R., Holroyd, T., Carver, F.W., Coppola, R., Manji, H.K., Zarate, C.A., Jr. and Grillon, C. (2010) Abnormal hippocampal functioning and impaired spatial navigation in depressed individuals: evidence from whole-head magnetoencephalography. Am J Psychiatry, 167, 836-844.
|
Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Dysfunction of the hippocampus has long been suspected to be a key component of the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder. Despite evidence of hippocampal structural abnormalities in depressed patients, abnormal hippocampal functioning has not been demonstrated. The authors aimed to link spatial navigation deficits previously documented in depressed patients to abnormal hippocampal functioning using a virtual reality navigation task.
|
| Sample Information | 19 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder and 19 healthy subjects matched by gender and age |
|---|
| Method Detail | Whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings were collected while participants navigated a virtual Morris water maze to find a hidden platform; navigation to a visible platform served as a control condition. Behavioral measures were obtained to assess navigation performance. Theta oscillatory activity (4-8 Hz) was mapped across the brain on a voxel-wise basis using a spatial-filtering MEG source analysis technique. |
| Method Keywords | magnetoencephalography (MEG) |
| Result | Depressed patients performed worse than healthy subjects in navigating to the hidden platform. Robust group differences in theta activity were observed in right medial temporal cortices during navigation, with patients exhibiting less engagement of the anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices relative to comparison subjects. Left posterior hippocampal theta activity was positively correlated with individual performance within each group. |
| Conclusions | Consistent with previous findings, depressed patients showed impaired spatial navigation. Dysfunction of right anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices may underlie this deficit and stem from structural abnormalities commonly found in depressed patients. |
Relationships reported by
Cornwell, 2010
| Component A Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component A Type |
Component B Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component B Type |
Statistical Result |
Relationship Description |
Result Category (Positive/Negative)) |
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Theta wave (theta) |
neurobiological system |
|
Robust group differences in theta activity were observed in right medial temporal cortices during navigation, with patients exhibiting less engagement of the anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices relative to comparison subjects. |
Positive
|
|
Perception (impaired spatial navigation)
|
cognition and behavior |
anterior hippocampus (anterior hippocampus) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Depressed patients showed impaired spatial navigation. Dysfunction of right anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices may underlie this deficit and stem from structural abnormalities commonly found in depressed patients. |
Positive
|
|
Perception (impaired spatial navigation)
|
cognition and behavior |
Parahippocampal gyrus (parahippocampal cortices) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Depressed patients showed impaired spatial navigation. Dysfunction of right anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices may underlie this deficit and stem from structural abnormalities commonly found in depressed patients. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
anterior hippocampus (anterior hippocampus) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Robust group differences in theta activity were observed in right medial temporal cortices during navigation, with patients exhibiting less engagement of the anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices relative to comparison subjects. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Parahippocampal gyrus (parahippocampal cortices) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Robust group differences in theta activity were observed in right medial temporal cortices during navigation, with patients exhibiting less engagement of the anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices relative to comparison subjects. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Perception (impaired spatial navigation) |
cognition and behavior |
|
depressed patients showed impaired spatial navigation |
Positive
|
