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Regional cerebral blood flow in depression
1Niho Kousei Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
The Japanese Journal of Psychiatry and Neurology
|September 1, 1990
Summary
Endogenous depression is linked to reduced regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), particularly in the left hemisphere. Treatment improves rCBF, suggesting left hemispheric dysfunction contributes to depressive symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Endogenous depression is a severe mood disorder characterized by significant emotional and functional impairment.
- Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) alterations have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate rCBF patterns in patients with endogenous depression using SPECT imaging.
- To explore the relationship between rCBF, depressive symptom severity, and treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (IMP) was used to measure rCBF in 32 depressed patients and 20 controls.
- Cerebral blood flow was assessed using the corticocerebellar ratio (CCR).
- Patients were evaluated in both depressive and remitted states, with subgroups of medicated and unmedicated individuals.
Main Results:
- Depressed patients exhibited decreased rCBF across cerebral regions, with significantly lower flow in the left compared to the right hemisphere.
- rCBF normalized in the remitted state, irrespective of medication status.
- A negative correlation was observed between depressive symptom severity and mean rCBF.
Conclusions:
- Reduced rCBF, especially left-hemispheric hypoperfusion, is associated with endogenous depression.
- These findings suggest that left hemispheric dysfunction may play a role in the psychiatric symptoms of depression.
- rCBF changes are reversible with treatment, indicating a potential biomarker for recovery.