title: Raphe nuclei echogenicity changes in major depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major depression is a common disorder with great social and individual burdens. Transcranial sonography (TCS) is a useful and noninvasive measure for assessment of normal and impaired brain parenchyma. The brainstem raphe nuclei are in close association with dorsocaudal limbic system and plays an important role in depression. In this study we compared the echogenicity of the raphe nuclei in patients with major depressive disorder and the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients suffering from depression, diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and 30 cases of similar age and sex were entered into the case and control groups respectively. Semi-structural clinical conversation was done according to the DSM IV-TR in order to confirm the depression by the psychiatrist member of the group. Echogenicity of the brainstem raphe nuclei was assessed by a trained neurologist using TCS. To compare the mean echogenicity between the two groups independent sample t-test was used. In order to assess the strength of association between the disease and the echogenicity, odds ratio was also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The echogenicity of the brainstem raphe nuclei was significantly decreased in depressed patients (36.7%) in comparison with the control group (10% ) (p= 0.015, OR= 5.21).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echogenicity of the brainstem raphe nuclei in patients with depression is significantly lower than normal population. To confirm the results, we recommend a meta analysis considering previous articles' results.
authors.affiliation: 1. Medical student, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. shadighurchian@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghourchian
authors.affiliation: 2. Assistant Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. zamba3@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.affiliation: 3. Neurologist, Ardekan, Iran. md_kosary@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kosar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poorkosary
authors.affiliation: 4. Associated Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. malakoutik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Seyed Kazem
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Malakouti
authors.affiliation: 5. Assistant Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mohammadroohani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohani
keywords: Major depressive disorder; Raphe nuclei echogenicity; Transcranial sonography (TCS)