Reduced anterior cingulate glutamate in pediatric major depression: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
BACKGROUND
Anterior cingulate cortex has been implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). With single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we reported reductions in anterior cingulate glutamatergic concentrations (grouped value of glutamate and glutamine) in 14 pediatric MDD patients versus 14 case-matched healthy control subjects. These changes might reflect a change in glutamate, glutamine, or their combination.


METHODS
Fitting to individually quantify anterior cingulate glutamate and glutamine was performed in these subjects with a new basis set created from data acquired on a 1.5 Tesla General Electric Signa (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wisconsin) magnetic resonance imaging scanner with LCModel (Version 6.1-0; Max-Planck-Institute, Gottingen, Germany).


RESULTS
Reduced anterior cingulate glutamate was observed in MDD patients versus control subjects (8.79 +/- 1.68 vs. 11.46 +/- 1.55, respectively, p = .0002; 23% decrease). Anterior cingulate glutamine did not differ significantly between patients with MDD and control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide confirmatory evidence of anterior cingulate glutamate alterations in pediatric MDD.
Rosenberg
David R
DR
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. drosen@med.wayne.edu
Macmaster
Frank P
FP
Mirza
Yousha
Y
Smith
Janet M
JM
Easter
Phillip C
PC
Banerjee
S Preeya
SP
Bhandari
Rashmi
R
Boyd
Courtney
C
Lynch
Michelle
M
Rose
Michelle
M
Ivey
Jennifer
J
Villafuerte
Rosemond A
RA
Moore
Gregory J
GJ
Renshaw
Perry
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male
D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid