title: Modulation of a human memory circuit by subsyndromal depression in late life: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional deactivation of the posteromedial cortex (PMC) seems to be a physiologic process underlying normal memory. The authors examined whether older subjects with subsyndromal depressive symptoms show impaired PMC deactivation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects underwent 4T functional magnetic resonance imaging scan while performing a novel and familiar face-name associative encoding task. The Beck-II Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to self-rate depression symptoms. A novel-minus-familiar encoding contrast was built into a simple regression model showing brain activation magnitudes that covaried with BDI score. A region-of-interest mask was applied to isolate the PMC and other midline structures of the default-mode network.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a university-based medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 62 nondemented subjects aged 55-85, with and without mild memory deficits. BDI scores ranged from 0 to 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis revealed a distinct PMC cluster confined to the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex (BA 31) whose activity correlated significantly with BDI score. A multiple regression model further showed that BDI score, as well as a history of depression and current use of antidepressants, had a significant effect on cluster variance, while age, education, gender, and mini-mental state exam scores did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings raise the hypothesis that subsyndromal depressive symptoms in late life may impair physiological PMC deactivation in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex. A prospective study of a full spectrum of depressed patients may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Center for Study of Aging and School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710-3808, USA.
authors.forename: Shoshana L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Petrella
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hellegers
authors.forename: P Murali
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Doraiswamy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment
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