title: A Quantitative MRI Study of the Basal Ganglia in Depression in HIV Seropositive Men.
abstract: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection is associated with high rates of depressive symptomatology. There is evidence that such infection is associated with damage to the basal ganglia. It has also been suggested that the basal ganglia are implicated in the aetiology of affective disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the association between basal ganglia atrophy and depression in HIV seropositive men. We hypothesized that depressed HIV seropositive patients would have smaller basal ganglia compared with nondepressed HIV positive comparison subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques we compared for the basal ganglia volumes of sixteen depressed, and sixteen group-matched nondepressed HIV seropositive homosexual men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant difference in basal ganglia volumes between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that depression, at least in the early stages of HIV infection, is not associated with basal ganglia atrophy.
authors.affiliation: , Broadmoor Hospital, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG11 7EG, England.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Aylward
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McArthur
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Selnes
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lyketsos
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Barta
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Pearlson
mesh_terms: D001479:Basal Ganglia; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male