Magnetic resonance imaging in late-life depression: vascular and glucocorticoid cascade hypotheses
The British Journal of Psychiatry, 07/03/2012

Sexton CE et al. – The results were compatible with the vascular hypothesis, and provided some support for the glucocorticoid cascade hypothesis.

• The authors studied 36 participants with late-life depression.
• Grey matter was examined using T1-weighted MRI and analysed using voxel-based morphometry.
• The hippocampus was automatically segmented and volume and shape analysis performed.
• White matter was examined using diffusion tensor imaging and analysed using tract-based spatial statistics.

• Later age at onset was significantly associated with reduced fractional anisotropy of widespread tracts, in particular the anterior thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus.
• Earlier age at onset was associated with reduced hippocampal volume normalised to whole brain size bilaterally.
• However, no significant correlations were detected using hippocampal shape analysis or voxel-based morphometry.