PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Xueyi Shen
AU  - Lianne M. Reus
AU  - Simon R. Cox
AU  - Mark J. Adams
AU  - David C. Liewald
AU  - Mark E. Bastin
AU  - Daniel J. Smith
AU  - Ian J. Deary
AU  - Heather C. Whalley
AU  - Andrew M. McIntosh
TI  - Subcortical volume and white matter integrity abnormalities in major depressive disorder: findings from UK Biobank imaging data
AID  - 10.1101/070912
DP  - 2017 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 070912
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/14/070912.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/14/070912.full
AB  - Previous reports of altered grey and white matter structure in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have been inconsistent. Recent meta-analyses have, however, reported reduced hippocampal grey matter volume in MDD and reduced white matter integrity in several brain regions. The use of different diagnostic criteria, scanners and imaging sequences may, however, obscure further anatomical differences. In this study, we tested for differences in subcortical grey matter volume (n=1157) and white matter integrity (n=1089) between depressed individuals and controls in the subset of 8590 UK Biobank Imaging study participants who had undergone depression assessments. Whilst we found no significant differences in subcortical volumes, significant reductions were found in depressed individuals versus controls in global white matter integrity, as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) (β=-0.182, p=0.005). We also found reductions in FA in association/commissural fibres (β=-0.184, pcorrected=0.010) and thalamic radiations (β=-0.159, pcorrected=0.020). Tract-specific FA reductions were also found in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (β=-0.194, pcorrected=0.025), superior thalamic radiation (β=-0.224, pcorrected=0.009) and forceps major (β=-0.193, pcorrected=0.025) in depression (all betas standardised). Our findings provide further evidence for disrupted white matter integrity in MDD.