TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preliminary research suggests that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with structural alterations in the brain, as well as with low-grade peripheral inflammation. However, even though a link between inflammatory processes and altered brain structural integrity has been purported by experimental research, well-powered studies to confirm this hypothesis in patients with MDD have been lacking. We aimed to investigate the potential association between structural brain alterations and low-grade inflammation as interrelated biological correlates of MDD. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 514 patients with MDD and 359 healthy controls underwent structural MRI. We used voxel-based morphometry to study local differences in grey matter volume. We also assessed serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in each participant. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls (age [mean ± standard deviation] 52.57 ± 7.94 yr; 50% male), patients with MDD (49.14 ± 7.28 yr, 39% male) exhibited significantly increased hsCRP levels (Z = −5.562, p < 0.001) and significantly decreased grey matter volume in the prefrontal cortex and the insula. Prefrontal grey matter volume reductions were significantly associated with higher hsCRP levels in patients with MDD (x = 50, y = 50, z = 8; t1,501 = 5.15; k = 92; pFWE < 0.001). In the MDD sample, the significant negative association between hsCRP and grey matter appeared independent of age, sex, body mass index, current smoking status, antidepressant load, hospitalization and medical comorbidities. LIMITATIONS: This study had a cross-sectional design. CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the role of reduced grey matter volume and low-grade peripheral inflammation as interrelated biological correlates of MDD. The reported inverse association between peripheral low-grade inflammation and brain structural integrity in patients with MDD translates current knowledge from experimental studies to the bedside.
AU  - Opel, Nils
AU  - Opel, Nils Thorben Leonhardt
AU  - Cearns, Micah
AU  - Clark, Scott
AU  - Toben, Catherine
AU  - Grotegerd, Dominik
AU  - Heindel, Walter
AU  - Kugel, Harald
AU  - Teuber, Anja
AU  - Minnerup, Heike
AU  - Berger, Klaus
AU  - Dannlowski, Udo
AU  - Baune, Bernhard Th.
AU  - Baune, Bernhard Theodor
DA  - 2019-07-15
DO  - 10.1503/jpn.180208
LA  - eng
N1  - Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience 44 (2019) 6, 423-431
N1  - Finanziert durch den Open-Access-Publikationsfonds der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU Münster).
N1  - This work was additionally funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG, grant FOR2107 DA1151/5-1 and DA1151/5-2 ; SFB-TRR58, Projects C09 and Z02) and the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) of the medical faculty of Münster (grant Dan3/012/17 and SEED 11/18 to NO) and the Deanery of the Medical Faculty of the University of Münster.
PY  - 2019-07-15
TI  - Large-scale evidence for an association between low-grade peripheral inflammation and brain structural alterations in major depression in the BiDirect study
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:6-00189435396
Y2  - 2024-11-22T00:39:20
ER  -