Open AccessDisorganization of white matter architecture in major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging with tract-based spatial statistics
Author(s) -
Guangxiang Chen,
Xinyu Hu,
Lei Li,
Xiaoqi Huang,
Su Lui,
Weihong Kuang,
Hua Ai,
Feng Bi,
Zhongwei Gu,
Qiyong Gong
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/srep21825
Subject(s) - diffusion mri , white matter , meta analysis , diffusion , major depressive disorder , computer science , data science , statistics , computational biology , medicine , biology , pathology , clinical psychology , magnetic resonance imaging , physics , mathematics , radiology , mood , thermodynamics
White matter (WM) abnormalities have long been suspected in major depressive disorder (MDD). Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) studies have detected abnormalities in fractional anisotropy (FA) in MDD, but the available evidence has been inconsistent. We performed a quantitative meta-analysis of TBSS studies contrasting MDD patients with healthy control subjects (HCS). A total of 17 studies with 18 datasets that included 641 MDD patients and 581 HCS were identified. Anisotropic effect size-signed differential mapping (AES-SDM) meta-analysis was performed to assess FA alterations in MDD patients compared to HCS. FA reductions were identified in the genu of the corpus callosum (CC) extending to the body of the CC and left anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) in MDD patients relative to HCS. Descriptive analysis of quartiles, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis further confirmed these findings. Meta-regression analysis revealed that individuals with more severe MDD were significantly more likely to have FA reductions in the genu of the CC. This study provides a thorough profile of WM abnormalities in MDD and evidence that interhemispheric connections and frontal-striatal-thalamic pathways are the most convergent circuits affected in MDD.