Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Corpus Callosum in Youth Major Depression

Objective To investigate the microstructural abnormalities of the corpus callosum in youth major depression.Materials and Methods 54 patients with major depression and 38 subjects similar in age and gender to the patients as controls were performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scanning. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional antisotropys (FA) were measured from regions of interest in the genu(anterior), body and splenium(posterior) of corpus callosum, and the values of ADC and FA were analyzed between two groups.Results The values of ADC were significantly increased and FA significantly reduced in the genu and body of corpus callosum (P0.01), the values of ADC and FA were not significantly difference in the splenium of the corpus callosum in the youth major depression group compared with the control group (P0.05). There were no significant sex differences in the DTI measures in the youth major depression group (P0.05).Conclusion There may be disruption of regional white matter tracts in the genu and body of the corpus callosum in patients with youth major depression.