MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING STUDY OF WHITE-MATTER LESIONS IN DEPRESSION AND ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Background. White matter changes, as revealed by magnetic resonance im aging (MRI), may occur in depression and Alzheimer's disease. Method. M-weighted MRI scans were performed in 39 control subjects, 61 subject s with NINCDS/ADRDA Alzheimer's disease and 60 subjects with DSM-III-R major depression. Deep white matter lesions (DWML) and periventricula r lesions (PVL) were rated on a standard 0-3 scale by two radiologists blind to clinical diagnosis. Results. After controlling for differenc es in vascular risk factors and current blood pressure, DWML were sign ificantly more common in depressed subjects and PVL in Alzheimer's dis ease subjects compared to controls. DWML were most common in those pre senting in late life with their first ever depression and 50% of such subjects had severe (grade 3) DWML. Conclusion. An association between DWML and depression and PVL and Alzheimer's disease is supported. The increase with DWML that occurs with ageing may predispose some elderl y subjects to depression.