Abstract
In this report, data are presented on pre- and postdexamethasone cortisol levels, neuropsychological testing, and computed tomography (CT) scan findings in 30 depressed patients (15 psychotic and 15 nonpsychotic). Particularly significant findings were observed when data from the unipolar subgroup (n = 22) were analyzed separately. Unipolar psychotic depressed patients had significantly larger (p < 0.05) anterior pole and cella media ventricle-to-brain ratios (VBRs) and significantly greater (p < 0.05) left and right inferior parietal brain "atrophy" than nonpsychotic depressed patients. Higher rates of Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) nonsuppression were observed in psychotic depressed patients and in patients with larger cella VBRs. Inferior parietal brain atrophv and large VBRs were also associated with greater cognitive impairment on psychometric testing. Implications of these findings are discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 565-575 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Biological psychiatry |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 1989 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:From the Affective Disease Program. McLean Hospital. (A.J.R., M L., E.8 . J.A.S.. A.F.S.); the Depanmcnt of Ne~r&,~~. McLean Hospital (N.H.. B.W.): the Ralph Lowell Laboratwies, McLean Hospital (F.B.); the Depanment of Psychiatry. Haward Medal School (A.J.R.. F.B.. N.H.. J.A.S.. A.F.S.): and the Depanment of Neurology, Harvard Medical School tB.W.), Boston, MA. Supported in par? by NIMH Grant MH-38671, a granftrom the Poitras Charitable Foundation, and by a grant tl,,m the Ruth Rothstein Greif Fund. Addrers reprint requests to Dr. Anthony J. Rothschild, McLean Hospital, I Ii, Mill Strert. Belmont. MA ()2I’7~ Received July 26. 1988; revi& December 24. 1988.