White matter hyperintensities and self-reported depression in a sample of patients with chronic headache.
White matter hyperintensities (WMH) have been associated with mood disorders in psychiatric patients. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether WMHs are associated with depressive symptoms and different sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition (BIS), and activation (BAS) systems in patients with chronic headache. Participants were 85 adult outpatients (16 men and 69 women) with a diagnosis of chronic headache. All of the patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were administered the BIS/BAS scales and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Above 40 % of patients had periventricular WMHs (PWMHs) and almost 98 % had deep WMHs (DWMHs). Patients with PWMHs reported fewer depressive symptoms than patients without PWMHs. Patients with more severe DWMHs (compared with patients with mild or without DWMH lesions) were older and reported lower scores on the drive dimension of the BIS/BAS scales. In multivariate analyses, patients with PWMHs were 1.06 times more likely to report fewer depressive symptoms than patients without PWMHs. WMH lesions in patients with chronic headache were associated with less depression severity.
Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 1035-1039, Via di Grottarossa, 00189, Rome, Italy.
Gianluca
G
Serafini
Maurizio
M
Pompili
Marco
M
Innamorati
Andrea
A
Negro
Martina
M
Fiorillo
Dorian A
DA
Lamis
Denise
D
Erbuto
Francesco
F
Marsibilio
Andrea
A
Romano
Mario
M
Amore
Lidia
L
D'Alonzo
Alessandro
A
Bozzao
Paolo
P
Girardi
Paolo
P
Martelletti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult