This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (30)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging  • Depression  • Alert me on articles by topic

Preliminary Findings

Carla L. Nolan; Gregory J. Moore, PhD; Rachel Madden; Tiffany Farchione; Marla Bartoi, PhD; Elisa Lorch, MA; Carol M. Stewart, RNC; David R. Rosenberg, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002;59:173-179.

Background  Abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex have been implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). To our knowledge, no prior study has examined prefrontal cortical anatomy in pediatric patients with MDD near the onset of illness before receiving treatment.

Methods  Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging studies were conducted in 22 psychotropic-naive patients with MDD, aged 9 to 17 years (10 males and 12 females), and 22 case-matched healthy comparison control subjects. Twelve of the 22 patients with MDD had at least 1 first-degree relative with MDD (familial MDD), whereas 10 had no clear family history of MDD (nonfamilial MDD).

Results  Patients with nonfamilial MDD had significantly larger left-sided but not right-sided prefrontal cortical volumes than patients with familial MDD (17% larger) and controls (11% larger). Left-sided and right-sided prefrontal cortical volumes did not differ significantly between patients with familial MDD and controls.

Conclusions  These results provide new evidence of prefrontal cortical alterations in pediatric MDD that may differ in familial and nonfamilial subtypes of MDD. Our findings must be considered preliminary, however, in view of the small sample size.

From the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (Mss Nolan, Madden, Farchione, Lorch, and Stewart and Drs Moore, Bartoi, and Rosenberg), Radiology (Dr Moore), and Pediatrics (Dr Rosenberg), Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Mich.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Depressed Mood in Childhood and Subsequent Alcohol Use Through Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Crum et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65:702-712.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Subgenual Prefrontal Cortex Volumes in Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia: Diagnostic Specificity and Prognostic Implications
Coryell et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2005;162:1706-1712.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT