Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Frodl, 2004 PubMed |
| Full Info | Frodl, T., Meisenzahl, E.M., Zetzsche, T., Hohne, T., Banac, S., Schorr, C., Jager, M., Leinsinger, G., Bottlender, R., Reiser, M. et al. (2004) Hippocampal and amygdala changes in patients with major depressive disorder and healthy controls during a 1-year follow-up. J Clin Psychiatry, 65, 492-499.
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Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Although the hippocampus has been found to be smaller in patients with depression, prospective longitudinal in vivo studies are necessary to investigate whether depression can result in a further diminution of hippocampal volumes or whether a smaller hippocampal volume predisposes an individual to the development of depression.
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| Sample Information | thirty patients with DSM-IV major depressive disorder as well as 30 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender, and handedness |
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| Method Detail | Subjects were examined at admission to the hospital and 1 year later using a documentation of the medical history and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the presence of depression and to determine changes in hippocampal as well as amygdala volumes. Patients were enrolled from March 2000 to August 2002. |
| Method Keywords | magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) |
| Result | No significant hippocampal and amygdala volume changes were observed in patients or controls between baseline and 1-year follow-up investigations. However, the subgroup of patients who were nonremitted at the time of the follow-up investigation showed significantly reduced left and right hippocampal volumes at both baseline and the 1-year follow-up compared with remitted patients. Moreover, the right hippocampal volumes of nonremitted patients were significantly smaller compared with matched healthy controls. |
| Conclusions | These results do not support the hypothesis that hippocampal volumes diminish during the 1-year follow-up period. However, smaller hippocampal volumes may be related to a poor clinical outcome after 1 year. |
Relationships reported by
Frodl, 2004
| 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 |
|
No significant hippocampal and amygdala volume changes were observed in patients or controls between baseline and 1-year follow-up investigations. |
Negative
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Hippocampus (hippocampal volumes) |
brain morphology and function |
|
The subgroup of patients who were nonremitted at the time of the follow-up investigation showed significantly reduced left and right hippocampal volumes at both baseline and the 1-year follow-up compared with remitted patients. |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Hippocampus (hippocampus) |
brain morphology and function |
|
No significant hippocampal and amygdala volume changes were observed in patients or controls between baseline and 1-year follow-up investigations. |
Negative
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
right hippocampus (right hippocampal volumes) |
brain morphology and function |
|
The right hippocampal volumes of nonremitted patients were significantly smaller compared with matched healthy controls. |
Positive
|
