Hippocampal changes associated with early-life adversity and vulnerability to depression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Smaller hippocampal volume has been reported in some adult and pediatric studies of unipolar major depressive disorder. It is not clear whether the smaller hippocampal volume precedes or is a consequence of the illness. Early-life adversity is associated with both smaller hippocampal volume and increased vulnerability to depressive disorder. Hippocampal changes may mediate the relationship between early-life adversity and depressive illness in a subset of patients. However, there are no reports of longitudinal clinical studies that have examined this issue.

Methods

Thirty adolescents with unipolar major depressive disorder, 22 adolescent volunteers with no personal history of a psychiatric illness including depression but who were at high risk for developing depre

SUBMITTER: Rao U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2821020 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature