Hippocampal volume change in depression: late- and early-onset illness compared.
BACKGROUND
Evidence for structural hippocampal change in depression is limited despite reports of neuronal damage due to hypercortisolaemia and vascular pathology.


OBJECTIVE
To compare hippocampal and white matter structural change in demographically matched controls and participants with early-onset and late-onset depression.


METHODS
High-resolution volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and rating of MRI hyperintensities.


RESULTS
A total of 51 people with depression and 39 control participants were included. Participants with late-onset depression had bilateral hippocampal atrophy compared with those with early-onset depression and controls. Hippocampal volumes did not differ between control participants and those with early-onset depression. Age of depression onset correlated (negatively) with hippocampal volume but lifetime duration of depression did not. Hyperintensity ratings did not differ between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that acquired biological factors are of greater importance in late-than in early-onset illness and that pathological processes other than exposure to hypercortisolaemia of depression underlie hippocampal atrophy in depression of late life.
Lloyd
Adrian J
AJ
School of Neurology, Neurobiology and Psychiatry, University of Psychiatry, University Newcastle, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. a.j.lloyd@ncl.ac.uk
Ferrier
I Nicol
IN
Barber
Robert
R
Gholkar
Anil
A
Young
Allan H
AH
O'Brien
John T
JT
D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D003863:Depression / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications