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Insular cortex volume in established bipolar affective disorder: a preliminary MRI study
Tsutomu Takahashi1, Gin S Malhi, Stephen J Wood
1Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053, Australia. tsutomu@med.u-toyama.ac.jp
Psychiatry Research
|April 27, 2010
Summary
Bipolar disorder patients did not show differences in insular cortex volume compared to controls. However, more depressive episodes correlated with smaller anterior insular volume in bipolar I disorder patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder with complex pathophysiology.
- The insular cortex plays a role in emotion regulation and interoception.
- Structural brain abnormalities are often observed in bipolar disorder patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate insular cortex volume differences between patients with bipolar I disorder and healthy controls.
- To explore the relationship between depressive episode history and insular volume in bipolar I disorder.
Main Methods:
- Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) was used.
- 26 patients with bipolar I disorder and 24 matched controls were recruited.
- Insular cortex volume was quantified and analyzed.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in overall insular volume was found between bipolar I disorder patients and controls.
- Exploratory analysis revealed a negative correlation between the number of depressive episodes and anterior insular volume in patients.
- This suggests a potential link between depressive episodes and anterior insular structure.
Conclusions:
- Overall insular volume may not be a distinguishing feature in bipolar I disorder.
- Anterior insular volume may be affected by the cumulative burden of depressive episodes in bipolar disorder.
- These findings suggest a potential role for the anterior insula in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.
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