Reduction of orbital frontal cortex volume in geriatric depression

Background: Postmortem studies have documented abnormalities in the medial orbital frontal cortex in depressed patients. In this study we evaluated wh ether atrophy of this region can be identified in older depressed patients using magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Twenty elderly patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depressi on and 20 matched control subjects were studied. The orbital frontal cortex was measured in both hemispheres using magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Depressive patients had reduced volume in the total orbital fronta l cortex, right orbital frontal cortex, and left orbital frontal cortex Conclusions: Our finding of a reduction in orbital frontal cortex volume in both sides of the brain suggests that this region of the brain may have a critical role in the development of depression and mises questions about th e etiology of the changes. (C) 2000 Society of Biological Psychiatry.