Psychomotor slowing in older patients with major depression: Relationships with blood flow in the caudate nucleus and white matter lesions

Hickie, Ian B.; Naismith, Sharon L.; Ward, Philip B.; Little, Craig L.; Pearson, Mark; Scott, Elizabeth M.; Mitchell, Philip; Wilhelm, Kay; Parker, Gordon

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.01.006

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Volume 155, Issue 3 , Pages 211-220, 15 August 2007

Psychomotor slowing in older patients with major depression: Relationships with blood flow in the caudate nucleus and white matter lesions

Ian B. Hickie
- Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Corresponding author. Brain & Mind Research Institute, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 9351 0799; fax: +61 2 9351 0652.
Sharon L. Naismith
- Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Philip B. Ward
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Craig L. Little
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Mark Pearson
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Elizabeth M. Scott
- Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Philip Mitchell
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia
Kay Wilhelm
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Gordon Parker
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia

Received 8 November 2005; received in revised form 15 January 2007; accepted 21 January 2007.

Abstract

Objectives

Selected structural and functional neuroimaging correlates of psychomotor slowing were examine in older persons with depression. Clinical, neuropsychological, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) data were obtained for 32 persons with depression (mean age=55.5) and 17 controls (mean age = 55.4). Psychomotor slowing was measured by simple (SRT) and choice (CRT) reaction times. White matter lesions (WMLs) were visually rated and caudate nucleus regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was obtained through the co-registration of MRI and SPECT data. Two SPECT scans were performed (corresponding to the SRT and CRT tasks) and a percentage change score in rCBF (%rCBF) due to the increasing complexity of the second task was calculated. Persons with depression and controls did not differ with respect to %rCBF or frequency of WMLs. In persons with depression, reduced %rCBF was associated with slower CRT. For all subjects, WMLs predicted 14% of the variance in %rCBF. Although CRT was predicted by a combination of older age, WMLs and %rCBF, the diagnosis of depression still predicted a further 25% of the variance. Reduced %rCBF is associated with demonstrable psychomotor slowing and presence of WMLs. While psychomotor slowing is determined in part by subcortical changes, other cortical and illness-dependent factors are likely to be relevant.

Keywords: SPECT, MRI, Psychomotor, Neuropsychological, Vascular, Hyperintensities

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PII: S0925-4927(07)00019-4

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.01.006

Refers to erratum:

Erratum to “Psychomotor slowing in older patients with major depression: Relationships with blood flow in the caudate nucleus and white matter lesions” [Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 155(3)(2007)211–220]
Ian B. Hickie, Sharon L. Naismith, Philip B. Ward, Craig L. Little, Mark Pearson, Elizabeth M. Scott, Philip Mitchell, Kay Wilhelm, Gordon Parker
Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 15 December 2007 (Vol. 156, Issue 3, Page 275)
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