Anxiety symptoms are associated with smaller insular and orbitofrontal cortex volumes in late-life depression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Increasing understanding of the neural correlates of anxiety symptoms in late-life depression (LLD) could inform the development of more targeted and effective treatments.

Methods

Grey matter volume (GMV) was assessed with volumetric magnetic resonance imaging in a sample of 113 adults ≥60 years with MDD using the following regions of interest: amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and temporal cortex.

Results

After controlling for demographic (age, sex, education) and clinical variables (antidepressant use, anxiolytic use, duration of illness, medical comorbidity, cognitive functioning), greater severity of anxiety symptoms was associated with lower GMV bilaterally in the insula, F(1,102) = 6.63, p = 0.01, and OFC,

SUBMITTER: Laird KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6750975 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature