Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
05:33
Three-Dimensional Shape Modeling and Analysis of Brain Structures
Published on: November 14, 2019
Hippocampus shape analysis and late-life depression.
Zheen Zhao1, Warren D Taylor, Martin Styner
1Neuropsychiatric Imaging Research Laboratory, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America. kurt.zhao@duke.edu
Plos One
|March 20, 2008
Summary
Major depression in elderly individuals is linked to significant left hippocampus shape changes, particularly in unremitted cases. Remitted patients showed no differences from controls, suggesting treatment may reverse these brain alterations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Major depression in the elderly is associated with brain structural changes, including in the limbic system.
- Previous studies on hippocampal volume in depression yielded variable results, possibly due to shape changes rather than overall volume differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hippocampal structural and shape differences in elderly individuals with major depression using spherical harmonic (SPHARM) analysis.
- To explore the relationship between depression remission status and hippocampal morphology.
Main Methods:
- Applied SPHARM shape analysis to the left and right hippocampi of 61 elderly depressed patients and 43 controls.
- Controlled for age, sex, and total cerebral volume in statistical models.
- Dichotomized the depressed group into remitted and unremitted subgroups for further analysis.
Main Results:
- Depressed subjects showed significantly reduced left hippocampus volume compared to controls.
- Shape analysis revealed significant differences in the left hippocampus's mid-body between depressed and control subjects.
- Unremitted depressed individuals exhibited altered left hippocampal shape (mid-body and lateral side) and reduced volume, unlike remitted individuals who were indistinguishable from controls.
Conclusions:
- Left hippocampus volume and shape alterations are associated with major depression in the elderly.
- Depression remission correlates with normalized hippocampal morphology, suggesting potential neuroplastic changes with treatment.
- These findings support the neurogenic effects of antidepressants and their role in successful depression treatment.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:19Role of Hippocampus in Memory
The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...
01:03Long-term Depression
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
01:05Long-term Depression
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...