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Cited by 37Treatment of Major DepressionNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Increases in orbitofrontal cortex thickness following antidepressant treatment are associated with changes in resting state autonomic function in adolescents with major depression – Preliminary findings from a pilot study

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Koenig, Julian, Westlund Schreiner, Melinda, Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie, Ubani, Benjamin, Mueller, Bryon A., Lim, Kelvin O., Kaess, Michael, Cullen, Kathryn R.·2018·Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
DOI 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.08.013PMC PMC6204080
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Abstract

In adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), effective treatment has been associated with increases in both heart rate variability (HRV) and cortical thickness. However, the impact of treatment on these indices has not yet been examined in adolescents. Cortical thickness and HRV were measured in twelve adolescents with MDD before and after 8 weeks of treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). We examined treatment-related changes in depression symptoms, HRV, heart rate (HR), and cortical thickness, and analyzed correlations among these change indices. At follow-up, patients showed significantly decreased depression severity, increased HRV and increased thickness of the left medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Clinical improvement was associated with increased HRV and decreased HR. Increased HRV was associated with increased cortical thickness of left lateral OFC and superior frontal cortex. Due to the small sample size, results represent preliminary findings that need replication. Further, in the absence of a placebo arm, we cannot confirm that the observed effects are due solely to medication. These preliminary findings suggest that SSRI treatment in adolescents impacts both cortical thickness and autonomic functioning. Confirmation of these findings would support OFC thickness and HRV as neurobiological mediators of treatment outcome.

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  • In imaging studies of traditional antidepressant treatment response, increased cortical thickness and cerebral blood flow in the PFC correlate with efficacy.

    “In imaging studies of traditional antidepressant treatment response, increased cortical thickness and cerebral blood flow in the PFC correlate with efficacy (108–112).”

    From Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness. (2021) · cites this paper as [111]

    The Introduction (page not provided) reports earlier findings that successful treatment can accompany increased frontal cortical thickness, and the Discussion reports increased orbitofrontal thickness after SSRI treatment. But the Results explicitly found no correlation between thickness change and clinical improvement in this study. The Discussion mentions cerebral blood flow only in relation to abnormalities in depression and an association with autonomic activity, not antidepressant efficacy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Koenig, J., Westlund Schreiner, M., Klimes-Dougan, B., Ubani, B., Mueller, B. A., Lim, K. O., Kaess, M., & Cullen, K. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Bern (CH)
  • University of Minnesota (US)
Corresponding author
Cullen, Kathryn R.
ORCID
Venue
Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-11
Volume
281
Pages
35-42
ISSN
0925-4927 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.08.013
PMC
PMC6204080
OpenAlex
W2888258306
Cited by
37
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4
FWCI
1.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Bern Open Repository and Information System (University of Bern) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH090421)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
major depressive disorder, adolescents, antidepressant treatment, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, orbitofrontal cortex, cortical thickness, heart rate variability, heart rate, treatment outcomes
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Antidepressive Agents, Autonomic Nervous System, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Organ Size, Pilot Projects, Rest, Treatment Outcome, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Prefrontal Cortex

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