Left medial temporal cytosolic choline in early onset depression.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have linked the choline (Cho) resonance seen in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to major depressive disorder (MDD). We endeavoured to clarify the possible involvement of cytosolic choline in the amygdala (anterior medial temporal region) of juvenile subjects with MDD.


METHODS
A total of 11 age- and sex-matched MDD and control pairs aged 14 to 18 years participated in long-echo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) of the amygdala. Compounds available include N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine-phosphocreatine (Cr) and choline-containing compounds.


RESULTS
Subjects with depression demonstrated lower left amygdala Cho-Cr ratios, compared with control subjects (paired t = 2.624, df 10, P = 0.025). Left amygdala NAA-Cr and right amygdala Cho-Cr and NAA-Cr did not differ significantly between subjects with depression and control subjects. In subjects with depression, simple regression revealed a negative trend between left amygdala Cho-Cr and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score (F = 3.509, P = 0.098). Right amygdala NAA-Cr and Cho-Cr did not differ significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytosolic choline appears to be involved in the pathophysiology of early-onset MDD, likely secondary to corticosteroid-neuroendocrine-driven changes.
Kusumakar
V
V
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. vivek.kusumakar@dal.ca
MacMaster
F P
FP
Gates
L
L
Sparkes
S J
SJ
Khan
S C
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000502:physiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012016:Reference Values
D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline