DTI Evaluation Of White Matter Microstructural Changes In First-episode Major Depressive Disorder With Young Adults Aged 18-25 Years

ObjectiveDiffusion tensor imaging(DTI)and tract-based spatial statistics(TBSS)were used to explore the possible white matter microstructure abnormalities in first-episode major depressive disorder with young adults aged 18-25 years from the whole brain point of view,and to further analyze the correlation between the microstructure changes of white matter and the severity and course of depression irst-episode major depressive disorder with young adults aged 18-25 years.The purpose of this study is to provide a basis for early clinical identification,prevention and accurate treatment of the first-episode major depressive disorder with young adults aged 18-25 years.Methods1.In our research,38 in first-episode major depressive disorder patients with young adults aged 18-25 years from the first Department of Psychiatry,the first affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were enrolled as the study group,and 42 normal controls were recruited in the same period.the age,sex and years of education of the two groups were matched.2.All subjects were evaluated by using the 24 Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD-24);using the US GE Discovery MR750 3.0T superconducting magnetic resonance scanner and standard 8-channel phased array head quadrature.The coil performs routine MRI sequence and DTI sequence scans for all subjects.3.Using the TBSS method,the dispersion index value in the difference map is extracted through the steps of data preprocessing,non-linear registration,skeleton mapping,skeleton statistics,and generating a statistical chart based on skeleton mapping.4.Statistical method:Randomise in FSL is used for permutation test(5000 permutations),age and gender are used as covariates,and Threshold-Free Cluster Enh-ancement(TFCE)method is used for multiple Comparing the correction,comparing the difference of FA,MD,AD,RD value between the two groups,P<0.05 indicates that the difference is statistically significant.Using SPSS21.0 statistical software,the normal distribution is expressed as x±s,independent sample t-test is used for age,education level,HAMD score,and disease course,and the χ2 test is used for gender.The FA values of depression groups with statistically significant differences were determined and the RD value was raised,and it was correlated with the HAMD score and the course of the disease.P<0.05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant.Results1.Comparison of two groups of general informationComparing the general data of in first-episode MDD patients with young adults aged 18-25 years group and the normal control group,there was no statistical difference in age,gender,and years of education between the two groups(P>0.05),and the HAMD score was significantly different(P<0.05)2.Analysis of the imaging resultsCompared with the control group,the FA values of the knees of the corpus callosum,the forelimb of the left internal capsule,and the bilateral upper longitudinal tracts of the MDD group were decreased,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05,corrected by TFCE),the patient group The white matter of the brain was not found to be significantly higher than the FA value of the control group;the RD value of the left inner capsular forelimb in the depression group was higher than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05,corrected by TFCE);the MD and AD values of the two groups The difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05,corrected by TFCE).3.Correlation analysis of FA value and RD value with HAMD score and course of depressionThe HAMD score in the first-episode MDD patients with young adults aged 18-25 years group was negatively correlated with the FA value of the corpus callosum knee and the right upper longitudinal tract(r=-0.433,P<0.05;r=-0.343,P<0.05),other indicators were not shown there is a clear correlation.Conclusions1.The microstructural changes of white matter in the first-episode MDD patients with young adults aged 18-25 years were mainly manifested in the decrease of FA in the knee of the corpus callosum,the anterior limb of the left internal capsule and the bilateral upper longitudinal bundle,and the increase of the Rd value in the anterior limb of the left internal capsule,suggesting that these abnormalities of white matter structure may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of depression in the middle stage of youth.2.The FA values of the knee of the corpus callosum and the right superior longitudinal tract of the corpus callosum were negatively correlated with the severity of depression in the first-episode MDD patients with young adults aged 18-25 years,which suggesting that the destruction of cerebral white matter may reflect the severity of depressive symptoms.