Thalamic Subnuclei Connectivity in Major Depressive Disorder: A 7-Tesla Diffusion MRI Study
Poster No:
464
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Weijian Liu1, Jurjen Heij2, Shu Liu1, Luka Liebrand3, Matthan Caan3, Wietske van der Zwaag4, Dick Veltman5, Lin Lu6, Moji Aghajani7, Guido Wingen1
Institutions:
1Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Netherlands, 2Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, KNAW, Amsterdam, North Netherlands, 3Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, North Netherlands, 4Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, KNAW, Amsrwedam, North Netherlands, 5Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam, North Netherlands, 6Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, Beijing, 7Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Netherlands
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Dick Veltman
Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry
Amsterdam, North Netherlands
Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry
Amsterdam, North Netherlands
Introduction:
The thalamus serves as a central relay station within the brain, and thalamic connectional anomalies are increasingly thought to be present in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the use of conventional MRI scanners and acquisition techniques has prevented a thorough examination of the thalamus and its subnuclear connectional profile. We combined ultra-high field diffusion MRI acquired at 7.0 Tesla to map the white matter connectivity of thalamic subnuclei.
Methods:
Fifty-three MDD patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs) were involved in the final analysis. Freesurfer was used to segment the thalamus into 14 subnuclei: anteroventral nucleus (AV), lateral nucleus (LTR), ventral anterior nucleus (VA), ventral lateral anterior nucleus (VLa), ventral lateral posterior nucleus (VLp), ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL), intralaminar nucleus (ITL), medial nucleus (MED), lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), medical geniculate nucleus (MGN), limitans (suprageniculate) nucleus (L-SG), pulvinar medial nucleus (PuM), pulvinar lateral nucleus (PuL), and pulvinar inferior nucleus (PuI). MRtrix was used to perform the preprocessing and tractography. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and streamline count (SC) of thalamic subnuclear tracts were measured as proxies of white matter integrity. Bayesian analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to assess group differences in white matter metrics for each thalamic subnuclear tract. Age, gender, and intracranial volume (ICV) were regarded as covariates. The Bayesian factor (BF) was interpreted using the following evidence categories: BF < 3 (and its reciprocal) indicates anecdotal evidence for Hypothesis 1; BF ≥ 3 corresponds to moderate evidence; BF ≥ 10 suggests strong evidence; BF ≥ 30 represents very strong evidence; and BF ≥ 100 indicates extreme evidence. Only results with BF ≥ 3 for group effects are reported.
Results:
All tracts with moderate or greater evidence in Bayesian ANCOVA are presented, and they essentially project into regions reported in previous literature or anatomical evidence (Figure 1).
Bayesian ANCOVA identified very strong evidence that MDD patients have lower SC of tracts spanning from left PuM than HC participants (Figure 2. A). Similarly, moderate evidence that MDD patients have lower AD of tracts spanning from left VLa than HC participants were identified (Figure 2. B). Furthermore, lower FA of tracts spanning from right ITL was observed in MDD patients compared to HCs, with moderate evidence (Figure 2. C).
Strong evidence that severe MDD patients have lower FA of tracts spanning from right PuI than non-severe MDD was identified by the Bayesian ANCOVA (Figure 2. D).
Moderate evidence was found by the Bayesian ANCOVA that medicated MDD patients have higher AD in tracts spanning from the right VLa compared to MDD patients not taking any psychotropic medications (Figure 2. E).
Compared to patients with typical MDD, the Bayesian ANCOVA analysis provided moderate evidence that patients with atypical MDD exhibit higher RD in tracts spanning from right PuI (Figure 2. F).
MDD patients with high anxiety had four higher DTI indicators (AD of tracts spanning from right VLa, right VPL, right ITL, and left MED) than MDD patients with low anxiety, which was determined to be moderate evidence by Bayesian ANCOVA (Figure 2. G-J).
The Bayesian ANCOVA identified moderate evidence that MDD patients with adult age of onset had higher SC of tracts spanning from left PuM than MDD patients with juvenile age of onset (Figure 2. K). For SC of tracts spanning from left LGN, moderate evidence was found that MDD patients with adult age of onset had lower values than those with juvenile age of onset (Figure 2. L).
Bayesian ANCOVA identified very strong evidence that MDD patients have lower SC of tracts spanning from left PuM than HC participants (Figure 2. A). Similarly, moderate evidence that MDD patients have lower AD of tracts spanning from left VLa than HC participants were identified (Figure 2. B). Furthermore, lower FA of tracts spanning from right ITL was observed in MDD patients compared to HCs, with moderate evidence (Figure 2. C).
Strong evidence that severe MDD patients have lower FA of tracts spanning from right PuI than non-severe MDD was identified by the Bayesian ANCOVA (Figure 2. D).
Moderate evidence was found by the Bayesian ANCOVA that medicated MDD patients have higher AD in tracts spanning from the right VLa compared to MDD patients not taking any psychotropic medications (Figure 2. E).
Compared to patients with typical MDD, the Bayesian ANCOVA analysis provided moderate evidence that patients with atypical MDD exhibit higher RD in tracts spanning from right PuI (Figure 2. F).
MDD patients with high anxiety had four higher DTI indicators (AD of tracts spanning from right VLa, right VPL, right ITL, and left MED) than MDD patients with low anxiety, which was determined to be moderate evidence by Bayesian ANCOVA (Figure 2. G-J).
The Bayesian ANCOVA identified moderate evidence that MDD patients with adult age of onset had higher SC of tracts spanning from left PuM than MDD patients with juvenile age of onset (Figure 2. K). For SC of tracts spanning from left LGN, moderate evidence was found that MDD patients with adult age of onset had lower values than those with juvenile age of onset (Figure 2. L).
·Figure 1. All tracts with moderate or greater evidence between groups/subgroups.
·Figure 2. Comparisons of white matter indicators with moderate or higher evidence between groups.
Conclusions:
MDD and several clinical characteristics are related to perturbed thalamic subnuclear connectivity with cortical and subcortical circuits that govern sensory processing, emotional function, and goal-directed behavior.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia) 1
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Connectivity (eg. functional, effective, structural)
Diffusion MRI Modeling and Analysis
Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:
White Matter Anatomy, Fiber Pathways and Connectivity 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Diffusion MRI
Keywords:
Other - ultra-high resolution diffusion MRI; 7.0 Tesla; thalamic subnuclei; structural connectivity; major depressive disorder
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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