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Structural changes in the hippocampus in major depressive disorder: contributions of disease and treatment
Malykhin NV, Carter R, Seres P, Coupland NJ.. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 2010-09-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) have consistently shown bilateral and unilateral reductions in hippocampal volume relative to healthy controls. Recent structural MRI studies have addressed the question of whether changes in the volume of hippocampal subregions may be associated with MDD. Methods We used a comprehensive and reliable 3-dimensional tracing protocol that enables delineation of hippocampal subregions (head, body, tail) to study changes in the hippocampus of patients with MDD. We recruited 39 MDD patients (16 medicated, 23 unmedicated) and 34 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. We acquired images using a magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence on a 1.5-T scanner with a spatial resolution of 1.5 mm x 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm. We performed volumetric analyses, blinded to diagnosis, using the interactive software package Display. All volumes were adjusted for intracranial volume. Results We found a significant reduction in the volume of the hippocampal tail bilaterally, right hippocampal head and right total hippocampus in MDD patients. Medicated MDD patients showed increased hippocampal body volume compared with both healthy controls and unmedicated patients. Limitations This study was cross-sectional. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the direct effect of antidepressant treatment. Conclusion Our results suggest that decreased hippocampal tail and hippocampal head volumes could be trait changes, whereas hippocampal body changes may be dependent on treatment. We showed that long-term antidepressant treatment may affect hippocampal volume in patients with MDD.
Key findings
- Recent structural MRI studies have addressed the question of whether changes in the volume of hippocampal subregions may be associated with MDD.
- Results We found a significant reduction in the volume of the hippocampal tail bilaterally, right hippocampal head and right total hippocampus in MDD patients.
- Medicated MDD patients showed increased hippocampal body volume compared with both healthy controls and unmedicated patients.
- Conclusion Our results suggest that decreased hippocampal tail and hippocampal head volumes could be trait changes, whereas hippocampal body changes may be dependent on treatment.
- We showed that long-term antidepressant treatment may affect hippocampal volume in patients with MDD.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants39
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. 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 30 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 52 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 39 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 | 1 / 2 | Blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| 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 20731966) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 30 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 30 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 52 out of 100. |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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APA 7th
Malykhin, N. V., Carter, R., Seres, P., & Coupland, N. J. (2010). Structural changes in the hippocampus in major depressive disorder: contributions of disease and treatment. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.100002
Vancouver
Malykhin NV, Carter R, Seres P, Coupland NJ. Structural changes in the hippocampus in major depressive disorder: contributions of disease and treatment. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. 2010. doi:10.1503/jpn.100002. PMID: 20731966.
BibTeX
@article{malykhin2010-20731966,
author = {Malykhin, N. V. and Carter, R. and Seres, P. and Coupland, N. J.},
title = {{Structural changes in the hippocampus in major depressive disorder: contributions of disease and treatment}},
journal = {Journal of psychiatry \& neuroscience : JPN},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1503/jpn.100002},
pmid = {20731966},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.100002}
}
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