Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of late-life major depressive disorder

Chen, Cheng-Sheng; Chiang, I-Chan; Li, Chun-Wei; Lin, Wei-Chen; Lu, Chia-Ying; Hsieh, Tsyh-Jyi; Liu, Gin-Chung; Lin, Hsiu-Fen; Kuo, Yu-Ting

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.01.003

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 172, Issue 3 , Pages 210-214, 30 June 2009

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of late-life major depressive disorder

Cheng-Sheng Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Both CS Chen and IC Chiang contributed equally.
I-Chan Chiang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Both CS Chen and IC Chiang contributed equally.
Chun-Wei Li
- Faculty of Medical Radiation Technology, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wei-Chen Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Chia-Ying Lu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Tsyh-Jyi Hsieh
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Gin-Chung Liu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Hsiu-Fen Lin
- Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Yu-Ting Kuo
- Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Department of Medical Imaging, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No. 100, Tzyou 1st Rd, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 7 3121101x7702.

Received 13 March 2008; received in revised form 19 January 2009; accepted 20 January 2009.

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to examine the biochemical abnormalities of late-life major depression by using 3-tesla (3-T) proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS). The antidepressant effects on the biochemical abnormalities were investigated as well. Study participants were 27 elderly patients with major depressive disorders (among which 9 were on antidepressant medication) and 19 comparison elderly subjects. ¹H-MRS spectra were acquired from voxels that were placed in the left frontal white matter, left periventricular white matter, and left basal ganglia. Ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and myo-inositol to creatine were calculated. Patients with late-life major depressive disorder had a significantly lower NAA/creatine ratio in the left frontal white matter, and higher Cho/creatine and myo-inositol/creatine ratios in the left basal ganglia when compared with the control subjects. The myo-inositol correlated with global cognitive function among the patients. The biochemical abnormalities in late-life major depressive disorder were found on the left side of the frontal white matter and the basal ganglia. Neuron degeneration in the frontal white matter and second messenger system dysfunction or glial dysfunction in the basal ganglia are suggested to be associated with late-life depression.

Keywords: ¹H-MRS, N-acetylaspartate, myo-inositol, Geriatric depression