Improvement in mood and ideation associated with increase in right caudate volume.
BACKGROUND
The basal ganglia, particularly caudate, are hypothesized to play a role in affective and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The depressive syndrome is a feature of untreated Cushing's disease. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that after treatment of Cushing's disease reduces elevated cortisol, improvement in mood and related ideations are associated with increase in caudate volume.


METHODS
In this longitudinal, interventional study of 23 patients with Cushing's disease, 24-hour urinary free cortisol, structural magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral measures were obtained prior to treatment and approximately one year after pituitary microadenomectomy. Five SCL-90-R subscales measuring change in mood, related ideations and physical symptoms were utilized.


RESULTS
Partial correlations (adjusted for age and time since surgery) showed change in caudate, but not hippocampal, volume was significantly associated with change in behavioral SCL-90-R subscales, indicating selectivity for structure. Right but not left caudate showed associations, suggesting selectivity for lateralization. Right caudate volume increase was significantly associated with decreases in Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Paranoid scores, but not with Somatization (physical symptoms), indicating specificity for behavioral but not physical variables.


CONCLUSIONS
A limitation is that relatively low-resolution scans were utilized. Although most likely not diminishing the significant findings, less sensitive methodology could lead to an increased probability of a type 2 error.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the concept that caudate, and likely right caudate, participates in human brain circuitry regulating mood.
Starkman
Monica N
MN
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0840, United States. starkman@umich.edu
Giordani
Bruno
B
Gebarski
Stephen S
SS
Schteingart
David E
DE
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D047748:Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone