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- Title
Lower Locus Coeruleus MRI intensity in patients with late-life major depression.
- Authors
Guinea-Izquierdo, Andrés; Giménez, Mónica; Martínez-Zalacaín, Ignacio; del Cerro, Inés; Canal-Noguer, Pol; Blasco, Gerard; Gascón, Jordi; Reñé, Ramon; Rico, Inmaculada; Camins, Angels; Aguilera, Carlos; Urretavizcaya, Mikel; Ferrer, Isidre; Manuel Menchón, José; Soria, Virginia; Soriano-Mas, Carles
- Abstract
Background. The locus coeruleus (LC) is the major noradrenergic source in the central nervous system. Structural alterations in the LC contribute to the pathophysiology of different neuropsychiatric disorders, which may increase to a variable extent the likelihood of developing neurodegenerative conditions. The characterization of such alterations may therefore help to predict progression to neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the LC cannot be visualized with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), specific MRI sequences have been developed to infer its structural integrity. Methods. We quantified LC signal Contrast Ratios (LCCRs) in late-life major depressive disorder (MDD) (nD37, 9 with comorbid aMCI), amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) (nD21, without comorbid MDD), and healthy controls (HCs) (nD31), and also assessed the putative modulatory effects of comorbidities and other clinical variables. Results. LCCRs were lower in MDD compared to aMCI and HCs. While no effects of aMCI comorbidity were observed, lower LCCRs were specifically observed in patients taking serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Conclusion. Our results do not support the hypothesis that lower LCCRs characterize the different clinical groups that may eventually develop a neurodegenerative disorder Conversely, our results were specifically observed in patients with late-life MDD taking SNRIs. Further research with larger samples is warranted to ascertain whether medication or particular clinical features of patients taking SNRIs are associated with changes in LC neurons.
- Subjects
LOCUS coeruleus; MAGNETIC resonance imaging; MENTAL depression; AMNESTIC mild cognitive impairment; CENTRAL nervous system; NEUROBEHAVIORAL disorders
- Publication
PeerJ, 2021, p1
- ISSN
2167-8359
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.7717/peerj.10828