Diffusion tensor imaging abnormalities in depressed multiple sclerosis patients

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 189 - 196
• Main Authors: Feinstein, A., O'Connor, P., Akbar, N., Moradzadeh, L., Scott, CJM, Lobaugh, NJ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2010; Sage Publications; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Atrophy; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - pathology; Case-Control Studies; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - etiology; Depression - pathology; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - diagnosis; Multiple Sclerosis - pathology; Multiple Sclerosis - psychology; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Predictive Value of Tests; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; pathogenesis; diffusion tensor imaging; depression; multiple sclerosis; Mood disorder; Human; Nervous system diseases; Multiple sclerosis; Diffusion tensor; Pathogenesis; Central nervous system disease; Diffusion imaging; Depression; Degenerative disease; Inflammatory disease
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458509355461

Depression is common in patients with multiple sclerosis, but to date no studies have explored diffusion tensor imaging indices associated with mood change. This study aimed to determine cerebral correlates of depression in multiple sclerosis patients using diffusion tensor imaging. Sixty-two subjects with multiple sclerosis were assessed for depression with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Whole brain and regional volumes were calculated for lesions (hyper/hypointense) and normal-appearing white and grey matter. Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were calculated for each brain region. Magnetic resonance imaging comparisons were undertaken between depressed (Beck Depression Inventory ≥19) and non-depressed subjects. Depressed subjects (n = 30) had a higher hypointense lesion volume in the right medial inferior frontal region, a smaller normal-appearing white matter volume in the left superior frontal region, and lower fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity in the left anterior temporal normal-appearing white matter and normal-appearing grey matter regions, respectively. Depressed subjects also had higher mean diffusivity in right inferior frontal hyperintense lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging variables contributed to 43% of the depression variance. We conclude that the presence of more marked diffusion tensor imaging abnormalities in the normal-appearing white matter and normal-appearing grey matter of depressed subjects highlights the importance of more subtle measures of structural brain change in the pathogenesis of depression.