Effects of Uric Acid on the Alterations of White Matter Connectivity in Patients with Major Depression

Uric acid is a non-enzymatic antioxidant associated with depression. Despite its known protective role in other brain disorders, little is known about its influence on the structural characteristics of brains of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study explored the association betwe...

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Published inPsychiatry investigation Vol. 15; no. 6; pp. 593 - 601
Main Authors Sohn, Hoyoung, Kwon, Min-Soo, Lee, Sun-Woo, Oh, Jongsoo, Kim, Min-Kyoung, Lee, Sang-Hyuk, Lee, Kang Soo, Kim, Borah
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Korea (South) Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 01.06.2018
대한신경정신의학회
Subjects
Original
정신과학
Antioxidants
Neuroimaging
Oxidative stress
Uric acid
White matter
Depressive disorder
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Summary:Uric acid is a non-enzymatic antioxidant associated with depression. Despite its known protective role in other brain disorders, little is known about its influence on the structural characteristics of brains of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study explored the association between uric acid and characteristics of white matter (WM) in patients with MDD. A total of 32 patients with MDD and 23 healthy controls (HCs) were examined. All participants were scored based on the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory at baseline. All patients were also rated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. We collected blood samples from all participants immediately after their enrollment and before the initiation of antidepressants in case of patients. Tract-based spatial statistics were used for all imaging analyses. Lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher radial diffusivity (RD) values were found in the MDD group than in the HC group. Voxelwise correlation analysis revealed that the serum uric acid levels positively correlated with the FA and negatively with the RD in WM regions that previously showed significant group differences in the MDD group. The correlated areas were located in the left anterior corona radiata, left frontal lobe WM, and left anterior cingulate cortex WM. The present study suggests a significant association between altered WM connectivity and serum uric acid levels in patients with MDD, possibly through demyelination.
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These authors contributed equally to this work.
ISSN:1738-3684
1976-3026
DOI:10.30773/pi.2017.12.17