title: Amygdala and hippocampal volumes in familial early onset major depressive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormalities in the amygdala and hippocampus have been implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). To our knowledge, no prior study has examined amygdala-hippocampus anatomy in pediatric patients with familial MDD (at least one first degree relative with MDD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two psychotropic-naive patients with familial MDD, aged 8-21 years (12 males and 20 females), and 35 group-matched healthy participants (13 males and 22 females) underwent volumetric magnetic resonance imaging in order to evaluate hippocampal and amygdala volumes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with familial MDD had significantly smaller left hippocampal (p = .007, effect size [d] = .44) and right hippocampal volumes (p = .025, d = .33) than controls. No differences were noted in amygdala volumes between groups (right: p > .05, left: p > .05). No correlations between hippocampal or amygdala volumes and demographic or clinical variables were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced hippocampal volume may be suggestive of a risk factor for developing MDD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Frank P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: MacMaster
authors.forename: Yousha
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Szeszko
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Kmiecik
authors.forename: Phillip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Easter
authors.forename: S Preeya
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Taormina
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000679:Amygdala / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors