title: Evidence for structural and functional abnormality in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex in major depressive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is considered to be an important site of abnormality in major depressive disorder. However, structural alterations in this region have not been a consistent finding and functional imaging studies have also implicated additional areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 32 patients with major depressive disorder, currently depressed, and 64 controls underwent structural imaging with MRI. Also, 26 patients and 52 controls were examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of the n-back working memory task. Structural and functional changes were evaluated using whole-brain, voxel-based methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The depressed patients showed volume reductions in the sgACC and orbitofrontal cortex bilaterally, plus in both temporal poles and the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus on the left. Functional imaging revealed task-related hypo-activation in the left lateral prefrontal cortex and other regions, as well as failure of deactivation in a subcallosal medial frontal cortical area which included the sgACC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whole-brain, voxel-based analysis finds evidence of both structural and functional abnormality in the sgACC in major depressive disorder. The fact that the functional changes in this area took the form of failure of deactivation adds to previous findings of default mode network dysfunction in the disorder.
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Rodríguez-Cano
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Sarró
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: G C
authors: GC
authors: Monté
authors: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Infantil,Barcelona,Spain.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Maristany
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Salvador
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: McKenna
authors: FIDMAG,Germanes Hospitalàries, Barcelona,Spain.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Pomarol-Clotet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged