title: White Matter Lesions, Carotid and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Late-Onset Depression and Healthy Controls.
abstract: Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) are more common in individuals with late-onset or late-life depression. It has been proposed that carotid atherosclerosis may predispose to WMLs by inducing cerebral hypoperfusion. This hemodynamic effect of carotid atherosclerosis could be important for the formation of WMLs in depression.
  
  
  
  The case-control study included 29 patients with late-onset major depressive disorder and 27 controls matched for sex, age, and tobacco use. WML volume, carotid intima-media thickness, and coronary plaque volume were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound scan, and coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography, respectively.
  
  
  
  The mean age for the total sample was 59.7 ± 4.7 years. There was no difference in carotid intima-media thickness between patients and controls (p = 0.164), whereas a higher WML volume in the patients was found (p = 0.051). In both patients and controls, WML volume was associated with carotid but not with coronary atherosclerosis. In adjusted multiple linear regression, a 0.1mm increase in averaged carotid intima-media thickness was associated with a 52% (95% CI: 8.4-112, p = 0.032) increase in WML volume. The association between carotid intima-media thickness and WML volume was, however, similar in patients and controls.
  
  
  
  In older persons aged between 50 and 70 years, WMLs do not seem to be a part of generalized atherosclerotic disease, but seem to be dependent on atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries. Carotid atherosclerosis, however, could not explain the higher WML load observed in the depressed patients, and thus, studies are needed to establish the mechanisms linking depression and WMLs.
authors.affiliation: Department for Depression and Anxiety, Q, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark. Electronic address: torbdeva@rm.dk.
authors.forename: Torben Albert
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Devantier
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bjarne Linde
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Nørgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mikael Kjær
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.affiliation: Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garde
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian Altern
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Øvrehus
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Achenbach
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Damini
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Leif Hougaard
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Centre Glostrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Poul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Videbech
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000067562:Late Onset Disorders; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: atherosclerosis; coronary artery disease; depression; intima-media thickness; major depressive disorder; white matter lesions