Cortical complexity in bipolar disorder applying a spherical harmonics approach.
Recent studies using surface-based morphometry of structural magnetic resonance imaging data have suggested that some changes in bipolar disorder (BP) might be neurodevelopmental in origin. We applied a novel analysis of cortical complexity based on fractal dimensions in high-resolution structural MRI scans of 18 bipolar disorder patients and 26 healthy controls. Our region-of-interest based analysis revealed increases in fractal dimensions (in patients relative to controls) in left lateral orbitofrontal cortex and right precuneus, and decreases in right caudal middle frontal, entorhinal cortex, and right pars orbitalis, and left fusiform and posterior cingulate cortices. While our analysis is preliminary, it suggests that early neurodevelopmental pathologies might contribute to bipolar disorder, possibly through genetic mechanisms.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg & Marburg University Hospital/UKGM, Marburg, Germany. Electronic address: nenadic@staff.uni-marburg.de.
Igor
I
Nenadic
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Section of Biomedical Image Analysis, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
Rachel A
RA
Yotter
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Maren
M
Dietzek
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Kerstin
K
Langbein
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Heinrich
H
Sauer
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Christian
C
Gaser
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology
Bipolar disorder; Cortical complexity; Fractal dimension; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Morphometry; Spherical harmonics