title: Cerebrovascular reactivity in major depression: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are a growing number of reports that depression may increase the risk of stroke. Little is known, however, about the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying this association. Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) reflects the compensatory dilatory capacity of cerebral arterioles to a dilatory stimulus and is an important mechanism to provide constant cerebral blood flow. We hypothesized that CVR is reduced in patients with major depression, thus contributing to the association between depression and stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed CVR in 33 patients with unipolar depression and 26 healthy controls by calculating the increase in cerebral blood flow velocity after stimulation with acetazolamide. Blood flow velocities were measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cerebrovascular reactivity was significantly reduced in depressed patients. Smoking was also associated with a significant reduction in CVR, whereas age and gender had no significant influence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebrovascular reactivity appears to be impaired in major depression. Further studies should clarify the mechanisms leading to this reduced CVR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Charité-Hochschulmedizin Berlin, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany. peter.neu@medizin.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schlattmann
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001160:Arterioles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000086:Acetazolamide