Quantitative evaluation of the cerebellum in patients with depression and healthy adults by VolBrain method

Abstract

Objectives: Besides the well-known sensorimotor control function, the cerebellum is also associated with cognitive functions and mood via the cerebral-cerebellar circuit. This study aimed to investigate possible cerebellar morphometric changes in untreated patients with depression. Methods: Brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of 40 adults (age: 18–50 years), including 20 untreated depression patients and 20 healthy controls were analysed prospectively. Intracranial cavity and total cerebellar volumes were measured by using VolBrain. The cerebellum segmentation was performed with CERES to obtain the total gray matter volumes and cortical thickness of the lobules. Results: Total cerebellar volume was 141.27±13.12 cm3 in the depressed group and 142.63±8.01 cm3 in the control group (p>0.05). The difference between males and females in the depressed group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Total cerebellar volume was approximately 11% of total intracranial volume in both groups. The cortical thickness of lobule V (right-total), lobule VIIIB (right), and lobule IX (right) was smaller in the depressed group, independent of sex (p<0.05). Lobule V, VIIIB and IX volume was smaller and Crus-I cortical thickness was increased in depressed females (p<0.05). Conclusion: The cerebellar volume and cortical thickness of cerebellar lobules in patients with depression show significant differences compared to healthy subjects.

Keywords

• cerebellum
• depression
• neuroanatomy
• neuroimaging

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