Early increase in marker of neuronal integrity with antidepressant treatment of major depression:: 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of N-acetyl-aspartate

Matthew J Taylor; Beata R Godlewska; Ray Norbury; Sudhakar Selvaraj; Jamie Near; Philip J Cowen

doi:10.1017/S1461145712000272

Early increase in marker of neuronal integrity with antidepressant treatment of major depression: 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of N-acetyl-aspartate

Matthew J Taylor, Beata R Godlewska, Ray Norbury, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Jamie Near, Philip J Cowen

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Increasing interest surrounds potential neuroprotective or neurotrophic actions of antidepressants. While growing evidence points to important early clinical and neuropsychological effects of antidepressants, the time-course of any effect on neuronal integrity is unclear. This study used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess effects of short-term treatment with escitalopram on N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity. Thirty-nine participants with major depression were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg escitalopram or placebo daily in a double-blind, parallel group design. On the seventh day of treatment, PRESS data were obtained from a 30×30×20 mm voxel placed in medial frontal cortex. Age and gender-matched healthy controls who received no treatment were also scanned. Levels of NAA were significantly higher in patients treated with escitalopram than in either placebo-treated patients (p<0.01) or healthy controls (p<0.01). Our findings are consistent with the proposition that antidepressant treatment in depressed patients can produce early changes in neuronal integrity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1541-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume	15
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1461145712000272
Publication status	Published - Nov 2012

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Antidepressive Agents
Aspartic Acid
Biomarkers
Citalopram
Depressive Disorder, Major
Double-Blind Method
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Male
Middle Aged
Neurons
Protons
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Young Adult

Access to Document

10.1017/S1461145712000272

Cite this

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title = "Early increase in marker of neuronal integrity with antidepressant treatment of major depression:: 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of N-acetyl-aspartate",

abstract = "Increasing interest surrounds potential neuroprotective or neurotrophic actions of antidepressants. While growing evidence points to important early clinical and neuropsychological effects of antidepressants, the time-course of any effect on neuronal integrity is unclear. This study used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess effects of short-term treatment with escitalopram on N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity. Thirty-nine participants with major depression were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg escitalopram or placebo daily in a double-blind, parallel group design. On the seventh day of treatment, PRESS data were obtained from a 30×30×20 mm voxel placed in medial frontal cortex. Age and gender-matched healthy controls who received no treatment were also scanned. Levels of NAA were significantly higher in patients treated with escitalopram than in either placebo-treated patients (p<0.01) or healthy controls (p<0.01). Our findings are consistent with the proposition that antidepressant treatment in depressed patients can produce early changes in neuronal integrity.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Antidepressive Agents, Aspartic Acid, Biomarkers, Citalopram, Depressive Disorder, Major, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Male, Middle Aged, Neurons, Protons, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult",

author = "Taylor, {Matthew J} and Godlewska, {Beata R} and Ray Norbury and Sudhakar Selvaraj and Jamie Near and Cowen, {Philip J}",

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volume = "15",

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Early increase in marker of neuronal integrity with antidepressant treatment of major depression: 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of N-acetyl-aspartate. / Taylor, Matthew J; Godlewska, Beata R; Norbury, Ray et al.
In: International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 15, No. 10, 11.2012, p. 1541-6.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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AU - Cowen, Philip J

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