Hippocampal volume in vulnerability and resilience to depression

Stella W Y Chan; Catherine J Harmer; Ray Norbury; Ursula O'Sullivan; Guy M Goodwin; Maria J Portella

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021

Hippocampal volume in vulnerability and resilience to depression

Stella W Y Chan, Catherine J Harmer, Ray Norbury, Ursula O'Sullivan, Guy M Goodwin, Maria J Portella

School of Psychology

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

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Reduced hippocampal volume has been associated with clinical depression. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are a biological vulnerability marker or a consequence of this disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 1): We first compared hippocampal volumes between (i) never-depressed individuals with elevated risk for depression by virtue of high neuroticism (ii) recovered depressed individuals with matched levels of neuroticism; and (iii) individuals with low neuroticism and no history of depression. We replicated the finding of reduced hippocampal volume in the recovered group; unexpectedly however, the never-depressed high-risk group showed an increase in volume. One hypothesis is that this group had a mean age above the typical onset age for depression; hence, these participants who have remained euthymic despite their personality risk might in fact possess some resilience. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 2): A subsequent study was therefore carried out to compare hippocampal volume between high-neurotic vs. low-neurotic volunteers in a younger sample. No group difference was found.

LIMITATIONS: The present findings are limited by a small sample size; the cross-sectional design precluded us from makineg definitive conclusions about causal effect.

CONCLUSION: Our overall results suggest that reduced hippocampal volumes is a neural marker for the scar effect of depression, although this structural impairment could also be seen as a vulnerability marker for the development of future recurrent episodes. By contrast, larger hippocampal volumes could be a biological marker of resilience. These findings have clinical implications regarding treatment development for the prevention of illness onset and recurrent depressive episodes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	199-202
Number of pages	4
Journal	JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
Volume	189
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2016

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety Disorders
Atrophy
Case-Control Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression
Female
Hippocampus
Humans
Hypertrophy
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Neuroimaging
Resilience, Psychological
Risk Factors
Young Adult

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10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021

Cite this

@article{44b35325498b4966b64dd429bb059cec,

title = "Hippocampal volume in vulnerability and resilience to depression",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Reduced hippocampal volume has been associated with clinical depression. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are a biological vulnerability marker or a consequence of this disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 1): We first compared hippocampal volumes between (i) never-depressed individuals with elevated risk for depression by virtue of high neuroticism (ii) recovered depressed individuals with matched levels of neuroticism; and (iii) individuals with low neuroticism and no history of depression. We replicated the finding of reduced hippocampal volume in the recovered group; unexpectedly however, the never-depressed high-risk group showed an increase in volume. One hypothesis is that this group had a mean age above the typical onset age for depression; hence, these participants who have remained euthymic despite their personality risk might in fact possess some resilience. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 2): A subsequent study was therefore carried out to compare hippocampal volume between high-neurotic vs. low-neurotic volunteers in a younger sample. No group difference was found.LIMITATIONS: The present findings are limited by a small sample size; the cross-sectional design precluded us from makineg definitive conclusions about causal effect.CONCLUSION: Our overall results suggest that reduced hippocampal volumes is a neural marker for the scar effect of depression, although this structural impairment could also be seen as a vulnerability marker for the development of future recurrent episodes. By contrast, larger hippocampal volumes could be a biological marker of resilience. These findings have clinical implications regarding treatment development for the prevention of illness onset and recurrent depressive episodes.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Atrophy, Case-Control Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Hypertrophy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neuroimaging, Resilience, Psychological, Risk Factors, Young Adult",

author = "Chan, {Stella W Y} and Harmer, {Catherine J} and Ray Norbury and Ursula O'Sullivan and Goodwin, {Guy M} and Portella, {Maria J}",

year = "2016",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021",

language = "English",

volume = "189",

pages = "199--202",

journal = "JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Hippocampal volume in vulnerability and resilience to depression

AU - Chan, Stella W Y

AU - Harmer, Catherine J

AU - Norbury, Ray

AU - O'Sullivan, Ursula

AU - Goodwin, Guy M

AU - Portella, Maria J

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Reduced hippocampal volume has been associated with clinical depression. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are a biological vulnerability marker or a consequence of this disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 1): We first compared hippocampal volumes between (i) never-depressed individuals with elevated risk for depression by virtue of high neuroticism (ii) recovered depressed individuals with matched levels of neuroticism; and (iii) individuals with low neuroticism and no history of depression. We replicated the finding of reduced hippocampal volume in the recovered group; unexpectedly however, the never-depressed high-risk group showed an increase in volume. One hypothesis is that this group had a mean age above the typical onset age for depression; hence, these participants who have remained euthymic despite their personality risk might in fact possess some resilience. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 2): A subsequent study was therefore carried out to compare hippocampal volume between high-neurotic vs. low-neurotic volunteers in a younger sample. No group difference was found.LIMITATIONS: The present findings are limited by a small sample size; the cross-sectional design precluded us from makineg definitive conclusions about causal effect.CONCLUSION: Our overall results suggest that reduced hippocampal volumes is a neural marker for the scar effect of depression, although this structural impairment could also be seen as a vulnerability marker for the development of future recurrent episodes. By contrast, larger hippocampal volumes could be a biological marker of resilience. These findings have clinical implications regarding treatment development for the prevention of illness onset and recurrent depressive episodes.

AB - BACKGROUND: Reduced hippocampal volume has been associated with clinical depression. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are a biological vulnerability marker or a consequence of this disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 1): We first compared hippocampal volumes between (i) never-depressed individuals with elevated risk for depression by virtue of high neuroticism (ii) recovered depressed individuals with matched levels of neuroticism; and (iii) individuals with low neuroticism and no history of depression. We replicated the finding of reduced hippocampal volume in the recovered group; unexpectedly however, the never-depressed high-risk group showed an increase in volume. One hypothesis is that this group had a mean age above the typical onset age for depression; hence, these participants who have remained euthymic despite their personality risk might in fact possess some resilience. METHODS AND RESULTS (STUDY 2): A subsequent study was therefore carried out to compare hippocampal volume between high-neurotic vs. low-neurotic volunteers in a younger sample. No group difference was found.LIMITATIONS: The present findings are limited by a small sample size; the cross-sectional design precluded us from makineg definitive conclusions about causal effect.CONCLUSION: Our overall results suggest that reduced hippocampal volumes is a neural marker for the scar effect of depression, although this structural impairment could also be seen as a vulnerability marker for the development of future recurrent episodes. By contrast, larger hippocampal volumes could be a biological marker of resilience. These findings have clinical implications regarding treatment development for the prevention of illness onset and recurrent depressive episodes.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Anxiety Disorders

KW - Atrophy

KW - Case-Control Studies

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Depression

KW - Female

KW - Hippocampus

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertrophy

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Neuroimaging

KW - Resilience, Psychological

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.021

M3 - Article

C2 - 26451503

SN - 0165-0327

VL - 189

SP - 199

EP - 202

JO - JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

JF - JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

ER -