title: Regional cerebral volume measurements in late-life depression: relationship to clinical correlates, neuropsychological impairment and response to treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elderly people who develop depression have demonstrable changes in cerebral structure but little is known of the relationship between regional cerebral volumes, treatment response and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients with major depression diagnosed according to DSM-IIIR criteria underwent magnetic resonance imaging and regional cerebral volumes were quantified using multispectral analysis. Response to antidepressant treatment was assessed prospectively and a neuropsychological test battery was administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a trend for smaller fronto-temporal volumes in the treatment-resistant patients. Impaired immediate working memory was linked with reduced frontal and parietal lobe volume and impaired short-term memory functioning was associated with reduced temporal lobe volume. Ventricular enlargement was associated with prior administration of electro-convulsive therapy, poor physical health and later age at onset of first episode of depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In late-life depression, brain changes should not preclude vigorous antidepressant treatment. Regional cerebral volume changes may be a complication of poor physical health and are associated with memory dysfunction even upon recovery from depression.
authors.affiliation: Consultant Psychiatrist, Forston Clinic, Dorchester, Dorset, UK. ssindorset@aol.com
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology