Neuroinflammatory and morphological changes in late-life depression: the NIMROD study

Br J Psychiatry. 2016 Dec;209(6):525-526. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.190165. Epub 2016 Oct 6.

Abstract

We studied neuroinflammation in individuals with late-life depression, as a risk factor for dementia, using [11C]PK11195 positron emission tomography (PET). Five older participants with major depression and 13 controls underwent PET and multimodal 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with blood taken to measure C-reactive protein (CRP). We found significantly higher CRP levels in those with late-life depression and raised [11C]PK11195 binding compared with controls in brain regions associated with depression, including subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and significant hippocampal subfield atrophy in cornu ammonis 1 and subiculum. Our findings suggest neuroinflammation requires further investigation in late-life depression, both as a possible aetiological factor and a potential therapeutic target.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis*
  • Cerebral Cortex* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebral Cortex* / immunology
  • Cerebral Cortex* / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex* / pathology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major* / blood
  • Depressive Disorder, Major* / diagnostic imaging
  • Depressive Disorder, Major* / immunology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major* / pathology
  • Female
  • Hippocampus / diagnostic imaging
  • Hippocampus / immunology
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation* / diagnostic imaging
  • Inflammation* / immunology
  • Inflammation* / metabolism
  • Inflammation* / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Receptors, GABA / metabolism*

Substances

  • Receptors, GABA
  • TSPO protein, human
  • C-Reactive Protein