Frontal cerebral perfusion dysfunction in elderly late-onset major depression assessed by (TC)-T-99M-HMPAO spect

Baseline regional cerebral blood flow of thirty unmedicated late-onset unip olar major depressed patients over the age of 60 years and 20 sex-, age-, a nd vascular risk factor-matched healthy controls was imaged with single pho ton emission computed tomography, using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime as a tracer. To avoid errors of diagnosis-in particular, confus ion between major depression and organic cognitive impairment-only treatmen t responders were included in the final sample. Statistically significant d ifferences were observed in both left and right anterior frontal regions, w ith reduced uptake in depressed patients; these differences were more prono unced in the left hemisphere. Among patients, there was no correlation betw een regional cerebral blood flow and the severity of baseline symptoms. Our results support the hypothesis that certain neuroanatomic regions of the c entral nervous system may be functionally involved in elderly unipolar majo r depression, particularly in the late-onset subgroup. (C) 2001 Academic Pr ess.