title: Biochemical abnormalities of the medial temporal lobe and medial prefrontal cortex in late-life depression.
abstract: We utilized single-voxel (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to investigate biochemical abnormalities related to late-life depression in the medial prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe. Fourteen elderly subjects whose depression responded to treatment and 12 nondepressed subjects were enrolled. Subjects were scanned using a GE 3.0 Tesla whole body MR scanner. Metabolite concentrations were quantified using the LC Model software and adjusted for CSF and ratio of gray to white matter. ANCOVA models tested for group differences while controlling for age and sex. Older previously depressed individuals showed significantly reduced concentrations of total N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline, and creatine in the prefrontal cortex and significantly elevated left medial temporal lobe concentrations of NAA and myo-inositol. There were no significant group differences in right temporal metabolite concentrations. The prefrontal cortex observations suggest that reduced neuronal, phospolipid, and energy metabolism is present even in clinically improved depression. In contrast, elevated NAA and myo-inositol concentrations in the left medial temporal lobe could be associated with neuronal and glial cell changes in the amygdala.
authors.affiliation: The Departments of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Talaignair N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Venkatraman
authors.forename: Ranga R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: Allen W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Warren D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D007294:Inositol; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline