Carotid intima-media thickness in late-onset major depressive disorder.
BACKGROUND
This study explored whether patients with late-onset major depressive disorder showed higher carotid artery intima-medium thickness (IMT) and investigated the relationship between the IMT and white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among patients.


METHODS
Fourteen elderly patients with late-onset major depressive disorder from a psychiatric outpatient clinic and 11 non-depressed controls received a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, ultrasound IMT measurements of the carotid arteries, and cerebral MRI.


RESULTS
The carotid IMT was higher in the patient group vs the control group (1.26 +/- 0.30 vs 1.00 +/- 0.20 mm; t = 2.40, p < 0.03). The difference was more apparent in the common carotid artery (1.20 +/- 0.32 vs 0.97 +/- 0.13 mm; t = 2.31, p < 0.04). There was a high correlation (r = 0.55, p < 0.05) between the carotid IMT and white matter hyperintensities among patients with late-onset major depressive disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study suggest that atherosclerosis represented by the carotid IMT contributes to the development of late-onset major depressive disorder. The findings support the vascular depression hypothesis.
Chen
Cheng-Sheng
CS
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen
Cheng-Chung
CC
Kuo
Yu-Ting
YT
Chiang
I-Chan
IC
Ko
Chih-Hung
CH
Lin
Hsiu-Fen
HF
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology