Sex Differences in Cortical Structural Alterations in Major Depressive Disorder With Suicidal Ideation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Radiology

Background:

• Major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation (MDDSI) is associated with brain structural changes.
• Existing research on sex differences in major depressive disorder (MDD) brain structure has not sufficiently explored MDDSI.
• Understanding these sex-specific differences is crucial for targeted interventions and improved suicide risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex-specific cortical structural alterations in patients with MDDSI.
• To identify potential neurobiological markers for sex-specific interventions in MDDSI.

Main Methods:

• Acquired high-resolution T1-weighted MRI data from 177 participants (117 MDDSI patients, 60 healthy controls).
• Utilized FreeSurfer software to analyze cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), cortical volume (CV), and local gyrification index (LGI).
• Assessed main effects of group and sex, and sex-by-group interactions, followed by correlation analysis with SI scores.

Main Results:

• MDDSI patients showed reduced LGI in the right parietal cortices, independent of sex.
• Significant sex-by-group interactions revealed males with MDDSI had greater right lingual gyrus CT, smaller right lateral occipital cortex SA, and reduced right pericalcarine cortex CV compared to females.
• No significant correlations were found between identified structural changes and suicide ideation scores.

Conclusions:

• The study identified distinct sex-specific cortical structural differences in MDDSI patients.
• These findings enhance the understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of MDD with suicidal ideation.
• Highlights the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in MDDSI research and treatment.