Brain computed tomography in geriatric manic disorder.
BACKGROUND
Excess brain changes in geriatric manic patients have been hypothesized. Few neuroimaging studies are available.


METHODS
Brain computed tomography scans in geriatric patients with manic disorder (n = 30) were compared to those in same-age control subjects (n = 18). Ratings of cortical sulcal widening (CSW), lateral ventricle-brain ratio (VBR), and related linear measures were determined.


RESULTS
Patients had greater CSW scores (Exact p = .002) and VBR (t = 2.51, df = 46, p < .02) compared to control subjects. CSW was positively associated with age at illness onset (rs = .46, p < .01) and age at first manic episode (rs = .53, p < .005). VBR was poorly correlated with CSW and was not associated with these indices of illness course.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the need for further investigation of relationships between brain structure and clinical features in geriatric mania.
Young
R C
RC
Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA.
Nambudiri
D E
DE
Jain
H
H
de Asis
J M
JM
Alexopoulos
G S
GS
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed