Toward a final common pathway of depression

Abstract

Comments on an article by H. Järnum et al. (see record [rid]2011-27271-004[/rid]). The authors reported thinner cortical regions in depressed patients compared to healthy controls. Some of these regions such as the inferior frontal region would be expected on the basis of regions known to be associated with emotional processing. However, the finding of cortical thinning in the superior and medial temporal regions was a bit surprising, suggesting that the networks associated with depression may be more complex than previously imagined. More interesting were findings in non-responders. The authors reported significant cortical thinning in the posterior cingulate cortex and a decrease in perfusion in the anterior cingulate cortex in non-responders at baseline. The findings add to the growing literature that suggests that rostral anterior cingulate activity may be associated with treatment response. However, cortical thinning in the posterior cingulate in non-responders suggests that structural changes in this region may also be associated with poor treatment response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)