Citation

Jaworska N, Macmaster F, Yang XR, Courtright A, Pradhan S, Gaxiola I, Cortese F, Goodyear B, Ramasubbu R. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2014; 68(12): 812-820.

Affiliation

Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, University of Calgary (UofC), Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/pcn.12197

PMID

24773595

Abstract

AIM: Major depressive disorder (MDD) onset during childhood/adolescence is associated with a greater illness burden and distinct clinical profile. However, limited research exists on the effect of age of MDD onset on volumetric abnormalities in para/limbic structures during adulthood.

METHODS: Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), hippocampus and caudate nucleus volumes were measured by manual tracing in depressed individuals (N=45) and healthy controls (HCs; N=19). Volumetric comparisons were carried out between HCs and MDD patients divided into those with pediatric (≤18 years; N=17) and adult onset (≥19 years; N=28).

RESULTS: The adult MDD onset group had smaller sgACC volumes than the pediatric onset and HC groups (age, gender controlled). No differences in caudate and hippocampus volumes existed. sgACC and hippocampal volumes were inversely correlated with depression severity.

CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly, pediatric MDD onset was not associated with more pronounced sgACC, hippocampus and caudate volume reductions. Nevertheless, age of illness onset appears to be a meaningful dimension of study in efforts to understand the neurobiological heterogeneity of MDD.

Language: en