Study M283

Study name

Henigsberg N 2011

Title

Changes in brain metabolites measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy in antidepressant responders with comorbid major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder

Overall design

The aim of this study was to study proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) changes in early to intermediate (3-6 weeks) responders to antidepressant treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). All subjects had diagnosis of major recurrent depression comorbid to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Magnetic spectroscopy was done in the region of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on a 3T MRI-unit. Participants were selected out of the larger sample due to an early response to antidepressant treatment within 3-6 weeks, measured with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Over the study period, responders to antidepressant treatment were defined as individuals whose Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) and BDI scores decrease confirmed subjective symptom improvement seen by the psychiatrist. Symptom improvement described in the present study was observed over the initial treatment period of 3 to 6 weeks. From a total number of 28 subjects discussed here, 11 could be considered as early to intermediate responders to antidepressant therapy (responder group). We measured levels of neuronal marker N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), choline (CHO) and creatine (Cr). Metabolite quantification was reported relative to total creatine as the reference peak.

Study Type

Type2;

Data available

Unavailable

Organism

Human;

Categories of depression

Depressive disorder; Depression with comorbidity; Depression with comorbidity;

Criteria for depression

Clinical diagnosis of major depression

Sample size

11

Tissue

Central; Brain; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex;

Platform

MRS; MRS: Siemens 3 T machine;

PMID

21648325

DOI

N/A

Citation

Henigsberg N, Bajs M, Hrabac P, et al. Changes in brain metabolites measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy in antidepressant responders with comorbid major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Coll Antropol 2011;35 Suppl 1:145-8.

Metabolite

Choline-containing compounds/(Creatine and Phosphocreatine) ratio;