Magnetization transfer imaging reveals the brain deficit in patients with treatment-refractory depression.
BACKGROUND
Studies on treatment resistant depression (TRD) using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques are very limited.


METHODS
A group of 15 patients with clinically defined TRD and 15 matched healthy controls underwent magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) and T1-weighted (T1W) imaging. MTI data were processed and analyzed voxel-wised in SPM2. A voxel based morphometric (VBM) analysis was performed using T1W images.


RESULTS
Reduced magnetization transfer ratio was observed in the TRD group relative to normal controls in the anterior cingulate, insula, caudate tail and amygdala-parahippocampal areas. All these regions were identified within the right hemisphere. VBM revealed no morphological abnormalities in the TRD group compared to the control group. Negative correlations were found between MRI and clinical measures in the inferior temporal gyrus.


CONCLUSIONS
The cross-sectional design and small sample size.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that MTI is capable of identifying subtle brain abnormalities which underlie TRD and in general more sensitive than morphological measures.
Zhang
Ti-Jiang
TJ
Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, PR China.
Wu
Qi-Zhu
QZ
Huang
Xiao-Qi
XQ
Sun
Xue-Li
XL
Zou
Ke
K
Lui
Su
S
Liu
Fei
F
Hu
Jun-Mei
JM
Kuang
Wei-Hong
WH
Li
Dong-Ming
DM
Li
Fei
F
Chen
Hua-Fu
HF
Chan
Raymond C K
RC
Mechelli
Andrea
A
Gong
Qi-Yong
QY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D055815:Young Adult
D000928:Antidepressive Agents