Depression related cerebral pathology and its relationship with cognitive functioning : A systematic review

Journal article


Jamieson, Alec, Goodwill, Alicia M., Termine, Mario, Campbell, Stephen and Szoeke, Cassandra. (2019). Depression related cerebral pathology and its relationship with cognitive functioning : A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders. 250, pp. 410-418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.042
AuthorsJamieson, Alec, Goodwill, Alicia M., Termine, Mario, Campbell, Stephen and Szoeke, Cassandra
Abstract

Background
Depression's relationship with cerebral abnormalities and cognitive decline is temporally dynamic. Despite clear clinical utility, understanding depression's effect on cerebral structures, cognitive impairment and the interaction between these symptoms has had limited consideration.

Methods
This review summarised studies examining a clinical depression diagnosis or validated scales measuring depressive symptoms, data concerning amyloid-beta (Aβ) levels, brain structure and function focusing on hippocampal alterations, or white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and at least one validated neuropsychological test. Online database searches of: PsycINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Scopus were conducted to identify potential articles.

Results
While depression was consistently associated with cross-sectionally cognitive decline across multiple domains, the neuropathological basis of this dysfunction remained unclear. Hippocampal, frontal, and limbic dysfunction as well as cortical thinning, WMH, and Aβ burden all provide inconsistent findings, likely due to depression subtypes. The consistency of these findings additionally decreases when examining this relationship longitudinally, as these results are further confounded by pre-dementia states. The therapeutic interventions examined were more efficacious in the younger compared with the older samples, who were characterised by greater WMH and Aβ burden.

Limitations
The limited number of longitudinal and interventional studies in addition to the heterogeneity of the samples restricts their generalisability.

Conclusions
Symptomatological differences between early-onset and late-onset depression (EOD and LOD) appear crucial in understanding whether late-life depression is the primary or secondary source of cerebral pathology. Though severe cognitive impairments and clearer neuropathological underpinnings are more characteristic of LOD than EOD, the inconsistency of valid biomarkers remains problematic.

Keywordsmajor depressive disorder; cognitive impairment; hippocampus; white matter hyperintensities; amyloid-beta; systematic review
Year2019
JournalJournal of Affective Disorders
Journal citation250, pp. 410-418
PublisherElsevier B.V.
ISSN0165-0327
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.042
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85062857984
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range410-418
FunderNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online06 Mar 2019
Publication process dates
Accepted04 Mar 2019
Deposited01 Sep 2021
Grant IDNHMRC/547600
NHMRC/1032350
NHMRC/1062133
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8wqy1/depression-related-cerebral-pathology-and-its-relationship-with-cognitive-functioning-a-systematic-review

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 16
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as