Table 9.
Morphometric Studies of the Basal Ganglia in Unipolar Depression.
| Study | Sample | Age | Method | Age of Onset | Duration of Illness/# Episodes | Family History of Illness | Clinical Status at Testing | Medication Status | Comorbidity | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Husain et al 1991) | 41 MDD 44 BD |
55.3±18.8 56.4±19.2 |
1.5T 5mm (2.5mm gap) |
NR | NR | NR | Depressed | NR | No major medical illness | Smaller putamen in MDD. Age negatively correlated with putamen size |
| (Krishnan et al 1992) | 50 MDD | 48.3±17 49.3±18 |
1.5T 5mm (2.5mm gap) |
NR | NR | NR | Depressed | NR | NR | BL reduction in caudate nucleus volumes in MDD |
| (Greenwald et al 1997) | 30 MDD 36 HC |
75.9±6.7 72.8±6.6 |
1T 3.1mm ROI |
45.7±14.1 (EO) 73.2±3.7 (LO) |
1.8±1.5 episodes | NR | Depressed | NR | No stroke, degenerative illness, other DSM diagnoses | Greater L caudate atrophy in late-onset (>60) compared with early-onset (<60) MDD |
| (Sheline et al 1998) | 20 MDD 20 HC |
54±18 53±17 |
1.5T 1.25mm |
NR | NR | NR | Largely euthymic | 14 patients on AD | No comorbid conditions | No differences in caudate |
| (Parashos et al 1998) | 72 MDD 38 HC |
55.4±16.8 55.1±17.1 |
1.5T 5mm ROI |
38.5±19.0 | NR | NR | Depressed | NR | NR | Reduced volume of caudate + putamen in MDD. Significant positive association between caudate volume + age of onset |
| (Pillay et al 1998) | 38 MDD 20 HC |
38.5±10.0 40.3±10.4 |
1.5T 3mm ROI |
NR | NR | NR | Mild to moderately depressed | No medication for 1+ week prior to study | No axis I disorders except phobias. No substance abuse, medical or neurological illness | No differences in caudate + lenticular nuclei. Severity of depression negatively correlated with L caudate volume |
| (Kim et al 1999) | 45 MDD | 65±7 |
1.5T 1.5mm ROI |
NR | NR | NR | Depressed | None | No other axis I disorders or substance abuse. No seizures, head trauma, cerebrovascular disease, neurological or medical illness | No significant differences between deluded + non-deluded MDD. |
| (Lenze and Sheline 1999) | 24 MDD 24 HC |
53 53 |
1.25mm ROI |
NR | NR | NR | Depressed | AD | No history of psychosis, psychiatric or medical conditions affecting the CNS | No significant differences in caudate + putamen. No effect of age of onset, severity of depression |
| (Bremner et al 2000) | 16 MDD 16 HC |
43±8 45±10 |
ROI | NR | 2±3 | NR | Remitted | AD | No PTSD. 5 patients with history of substance abuse/dependence. 1 PD. | No caudate volume differences |
| (Lacerda et al 2003) | 25 MDD 48 HC |
41±11 35±10 |
1.5T 5mm (1mm gap) ROI |
29.44±11.67 | 11.88±11.54 4.21±3.76 episodes |
NR | 10 euthymic, 15 depressed | Drug free for 2+ weeks before scan | No other axis I disorders, no substance abuse. | No differences in caudate, putamen + GP volumes. Inverse correlation between length of illness + L putamen volume |
| (Hannestad et al 2006) | 182 MDD 62 HC |
70.2±5.8 70.0±7.7 |
1.5T 3mm (3mm gap) ROI |
43.7±20.8 | NR | NR | Depressed | NR | No other DSM disorders, substance abuse, neurological illness. | No differences in caudate volume |
| (Hickie et al 2006) | 45 MDD 16 HC |
52.0±12.8 55.8±10.3 |
1.5T 1.5mm |
36.1±17.2 | 15.6±16.1 6.9±9.8 episodes |
NR | Depressed | 29/45 AD | No substance abuse but comorbid axis II disorders. No head injury, neurological illness, stroke, dementia | No differences in caudate + putamen but smaller caudate volumes in MDD subjects with S allele of 5-HTTLPR |