Life events and hippocampal volume in first-episode major depression

Klaus-Thomas Kronmüller; Johannes Pantel; Bianca Götz; Sebastian Köhler; Daniela Victor; Christoph Mundt; Vincent A Magnotta; Frederic Giesel; Marco Essig; Johannes Schröder

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2008.01.022

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Life events and hippocampal volume in first-episode major depression

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Life events and hippocampal volume in first-episode major depression

Klaus-Thomas Kronmüller, Johannes Pantel, Bianca Götz, Sebastian Köhler, Daniela Victor, Christoph Mundt, Vincent A Magnotta, Frederic Giesel, Marco Essig and Johannes Schröder

Journal of affective disorders, Vol.110(3), pp.241-247

10/2008

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.01.022

PMID: 18321593

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Abstract

There are many studies on life events in depression and also several studies examining brain structural changes in the hippocampus of depressed patients. However, only few studies have focused on the association of life events and hippocampal volume in depression. The hypothesis of a significant negative association between life events and hippocampal volumes in first episode depression was examined. 28 in-patients with a first episode of major depression were examined with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging measuring hippocampal volumes. The precourse of depression was assessed with the Interview for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset and Course of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (IRAOS) and life events by using the Munich Interview for the Assessment of Life Events and Conditions (MEL). A significant negative correlation between major life events three month before the onset of depression and the left hippocampal volume was found for male patients. In female patients no significant association between major life events and hippocampal volumes could be found. The results support the hypothesis that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of major depression in the early phase of the disorder particularly for male patients.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Depressive Disorder, Major - physiopathology

Humans

Life Change Events

Middle Aged

Male

Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use

Young Adult

Time Factors

Adult

Female

Surveys and Questionnaires

Hippocampus - anatomy & histology

Hippocampus - physiopathology

Depressive Disorder, Major - drug therapy

Details

Title: Subtitle: Life events and hippocampal volume in first-episode major depression
Creators: Klaus-Thomas Kronmüller - Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Germany. klaus_kronmueller@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Johannes Pantel
Bianca Götz
Sebastian Köhler
Daniela Victor
Christoph Mundt
Vincent A Magnotta
Frederic Giesel
Marco Essig
Johannes Schröder
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of affective disorders, Vol.110(3), pp.241-247
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.01.022
PMID: 18321593
NLM abbreviation: J Affect Disord
ISSN: 0165-0327
eISSN: 1573-2517
Publisher: Netherlands
Language: English
Date published: 10/2008
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology; Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984051759702771

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