Study Report
Reference
| Citation | MacMillan, 2003 PubMed |
| Full Info | MacMillan, S., Szeszko, P.R., Moore, G.J., Madden, R., Lorch, E., Ivey, J., Banerjee, S.P. and Rosenberg, D.R. (2003) Increased amygdala: hippocampal volume ratios associated with severity of anxiety in pediatric major depression. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol, 13, 65-73.
|
Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Neurobiologic abnormalities in the temporal lobe, particularly medial temporolimbic circuits, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Although MDD commonly emerges during childhood and adolescence, to our knowledge, no prior study has examined temporal lobe anatomy in pediatric patients with MDD near the onset of illness before treatment.
|
| Sample Information | 23 psychotropic drug-naive pediatric patients with MDD, aged 8-17 years, and 23 case-matched healthy comparison subjects |
|---|
| Method Detail | Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted in 23 psychotropic drug-naive pediatric patients with MDD, aged 8-17 years, and 23 case-matched healthy comparison subjects. |
| Method Keywords | magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) |
| Result | Pediatric patients with MDD had significantly larger left (14%) and right (11%) amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios than controls. Increased left and right amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios were associated with increased severity of anxiety but not increased severity of depression or duration of illness. |
| Conclusions | These results suggest that alterations in amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios in pediatric MDD may more reflect severity of associated anxiety than depression. These results underscore the importance of assessment for comorbidity in the study of MDD. |
Relationships reported by
MacMillan, 2003
| 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 |
Amygdala (amygdala) |
brain morphology and function |
left (14%) and right (11%) |
Pediatric patients with MDD had significantly larger left (14%) and right (11%) amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios than controls. |
Positive
|
|
Increased agitation (anxiety)
|
symptoms |
Hippocampus (hippocampus) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Increased left and right amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios were associated with increased severity of anxiety but not increased severity of depression or duration of illness. |
Positive
|
|
Increased agitation (anxiety)
|
symptoms |
Amygdala (amygdala) |
brain morphology and function |
|
Increased left and right amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios were associated with increased severity of anxiety but not increased severity of depression or duration of illness. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Hippocampus (hippocampus) |
brain morphology and function |
left (14%) and right (11%) |
Pediatric patients with MDD had significantly larger left (14%) and right (11%) amygdala:hippocampal volume ratios than controls. |
Positive
|
