Attenuated Visual Function in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 1951
• Main Authors: Jung, Kyoung In, Hong, Seo-Yeon, Shin, Da Young, Lee, Na Young, Kim, Tae-Suk, Park, Chan Kee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 22.06.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Clinical medicine; Education; Glaucoma; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Optics; Patients; Software; Tomography; United States > US; Germany
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm9061951

Background: We sought to investigate visual function, primarily, and structural changes in retinal ganglion cells, secondarily, in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods: A total of 50 normal participants and 49 patients with major depressive disorder were included in this cross-sectional study. The participants underwent 24–2 standard automated perimetry and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results: The pattern standard deviation (PSD) in the visual field test was higher in the major depressive disorder patients than in the normal control subjects (p = 0.017). The patients with major depressive disorder showed reduced minimum ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness relative to the normal control participants (p = 0.015). The average score on the Hamilton Depression Rating scale showed a significant correlation with the PSD, minimum GCIPL thickness, and inferior GCIPL thickness (r = 0.265, p = 0.009; r = −0.239, p = 0.017; and r = −0.204, p = 0.043, respectively). The multivariate analysis of factors associated with PSD showed old age and a high Hamilton Depression Rating score to be relevant (p = 0.002 and 0.028, respectively). Conclusions: Visual function was decreased and the GCIPL thickness was reduced in major depressive disorder patients. The retinal neurodegenerative process in depression might be considered in patients with depression.