Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Cook, 2009 PubMed |
| Full Info | Cook, I.A., Hunter, A.M., Abrams, M., Siegman, B. and Leuchter, A.F. (2009) Midline and right frontal brain function as a physiologic biomarker of remission in major depression. Psychiatry Res, 174, 152-157.
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Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Prior investigations have reported that changes in the prefrontal electroencephalogram (EEG) precede symptom improvement from antidepressant medications, and could serve as a biomarker of treatment outcome in major depressive disorder (MDD). A new physiologically defined region of interest (ROI), overlying the midline and right frontal (MRF) cortical area, was examined here for a relationship between early decreases in theta-band cordance and remission.
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| Sample Information | 72 adults with unipolar MDD |
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| Method Detail | Subjects were 72 adults with unipolar MDD who had completed placebo-controlled antidepressant treatment trials, with 37 randomized to medication and 35 to placebo. We assessed changes in cordance and absolute and relative power in the MRF region at 48 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks after start of drug, as potential predictors of remission (final score on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale of 5 or below. Out of 37 medication-treated subjects, 11 (30%) remitted versus 6 of 35 placebo subjects (17%). |
| Method Keywords | electroencephalogram (EEG) |
| Result | Change in MRF cordance 1 and 2 weeks after the beginning of treatment was significantly associated with remission in medication-treated subjects at 1 week, with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis yielding 0.76 area under the curve. Decreases in MRF cordance at 1 week predicted remission with medication with 69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity). MRF cordance changes were not associated with remission with placebo. Absolute and relative power did not differentiate groups. |
| Conclusions | These results suggest that remission may be predictable from physiologic measurements after 1 week of treatment, and that this region merits further investigation in the neurobiology of treatment response. |
Relationships reported by
Cook, 2009
| 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-band cordance) |
neurobiological system |
|
Decreases in MRF (midline and right frontal cortical area) cordance at 1 week predicted remission with medication with 69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity). |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Midline cortical area (midline cortical area) |
brain morphology and function |
69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity) |
Decreases in MRF (midline and right frontal cortical area) cordance at 1 week predicted remission with medication with 69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity). |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
right frontal cortex (right frontal cortical area) |
brain morphology and function |
69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity) |
Decreases in MRF (midline and right frontal cortical area) cordance at 1 week predicted remission with medication with 69% overall accuracy (90% sensitivity; 60% specificity). |
Positive
|
