[Apathy in depression: a morphometric analysis].

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Geriatrics
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Late-life depression (LLD) frequently presents with apathy, impacting quality of life.
• Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of apathy in LLD is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the structural brain correlates of apathy in patients diagnosed with late-life depression.
• To differentiate the neuroanatomical patterns associated with apathy versus depressive symptoms in older adults.

Main Methods:

• High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 35 patients (≥60 years) with late-onset depression and 22 age-matched healthy controls.
• Comprehensive neuropsychiatric assessments included the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Apathy Scale.

Main Results:

• Apathy correlated with reduced grey matter volume in the right caudate nucleus and left nucleus accumbens, alongside lateral prefrontal cortex atrophy.
• Depression severity was associated with medial orbitofrontal cortex thinning, anterior cingulate gyrus changes, and increased entorhinal cortex surface area.
• Overall grey matter volume and cerebellar volumes negatively correlated with both apathy and depression severity.

Conclusions:

• Structural brain changes, including basal ganglia and lateral prefrontal cortex atrophy, are key neuroanatomical correlates of apathy in late-life depression.
• These findings support the hypothesis of an independent pathophysiology for the apathetic syndrome in this population.