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Hippocampal volume and depression: a meta-analysis of MRI studies
Videbech P, Ravnkilde B.. The American journal of psychiatry, 2004-11-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective Several studies have found reduced hippocampal volume in patients with unipolar depression, but discrepancies exist. The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of volumetric studies of the hippocampus in patients with mood disorders. Method Studies of hippocampal volume in unipolar and bipolar patients were identified. A meta-analysis of the 12 studies of unipolar depression fulfilling specific criteria was performed. The sample comprised 351 patients and 279 healthy subjects. Results The studies were highly heterogeneous regarding age and gender distribution, age at onset of the disorder, average number of episodes, and responsiveness to treatment, but the pooled effect size of depression was significant in both hemispheres for the unipolar patients. The weighted average showed a reduction of hippocampal volume of 8% on the left side and 10% on the right side. The causes of the heterogeneity were analyzed, and a meta-regression showed that the total number of depressive episodes was significantly correlated to right but not left hippocampal volume reduction. Conclusions Hippocampal volume is reduced in patients with unipolar depression, maybe as a consequence of repeated periods of major depressive disorder. Bipolar patients did not seem to show a reduction in hippocampal volume, but this has been much less investigated.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Videbech, P., & Ravnkilde, B. (2004). Hippocampal volume and depression: a meta-analysis of MRI studies. The American journal of psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1957
Vancouver
Videbech P, Ravnkilde B. Hippocampal volume and depression: a meta-analysis of MRI studies. The American journal of psychiatry. 2004. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1957. PMID: 15514393.
BibTeX
@article{videbech2004-15514393,
author = {Videbech, P. and Ravnkilde, B.},
title = {{Hippocampal volume and depression: a meta-analysis of MRI studies}},
journal = {The American journal of psychiatry},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1957},
pmid = {15514393},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1957}
}
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Key findings
- Results The studies were highly heterogeneous regarding age and gender distribution, age at onset of the disorder, average number of episodes, and responsiveness to treatment, but the pooled effect size of depression was significant in both hemispheres for the unipolar patients.
- The causes of the heterogeneity were analyzed, and a meta-regression showed that the total number of depressive episodes was significantly correlated to right but not left hippocampal volume reduction.
Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Participants351
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 72/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 42 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 72 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The American journal of psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 351 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15514393) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 42 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 42 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 72 out of 100. |
| Total | 72 / 100 | — |
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