Yan Zhou PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jie Chen, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jian-Rong Xu PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Li-Jun Qian PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a therapeutic challenge for the clinician. The aim of this study is to investigate potential white matter abnormalities in patients with TRD, and try to make further understanding of the pathologic mechanisms of TRD.

Subjects with TRD (n=15), first-episode depression (n=10) and healthy controls (n=15) were recruited. Groups were matched for age, gender and education. All subjects underwent DTI and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Voxel-based analysis was performed to investigate brain regions where fractional anisotropy (FA) values differed significantly between groups.

In TRD patients, FA values significantly lower than those in healthy controls were located in the white matter of right inferior frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulated gyrus and right extra-nuclear .While comparing with the first-episode depression patients , FA values significantly lower in the white matter in left frontal lobe , left extra nuclear ,left inferior parietal lobule ,right extra nuclear, right amygdale and left cingulated gyrus.

Widespread structural disconnectivity including the subcortical regions, is already presenting in patients of depression in their first episode of illness. And the severity of and the location of these disconnectivity may be related to their treatment outcome.

This preliminary study gives some evidence to clarify the pathologic mechanisms of TRD. The severity of and the location of these disconnectivity may be related to their treatment outcome  

Zhou, Y, Chen, J, Xu, J, Qian, L, Diffusion Tensor Analysis in Treatment-resistant Depression : A Preliminary Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6006912.html