The correlation between event-related potential P300 and grey matter volume in female patients with drug-nave first episode major depressive disorder

Objective The present study aims to explore the grey matter volume changes in drug-nave first-episode major depressive disorder (MDD) female patients and to find out their correlation with event-related potential P300. Methods Twenty-five patients, aging between 18-58 years, diagnosed with first-episode MDD and 28 gender-, age-, education level-matched healthy controls were included in this study. All participants were assigned to receive 3D structural magnetic resonance imaging brain scans, and the patients were assigned to receive P300 tests. Results In contrast with healthy controls, decreased grey matter volume was detected in the right frontal operculum and the right precentral gyrus of patients, both P3 and N2 latencies were positively correlated with bilateral putamen nuclei (all P<0.01). The P3 latency was also positively associated with the volumes of left middle temporal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left fusiform gyrus. The N2 latency was also positively associated with the volumes of left posterior cingulate gyrus, the right fusiform gyrus, the occipital lobe, and the left cerebellum (all P<0.01). The P3 amplitude was negatively associated with the volumes of left angular gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus (all P<0.01). No statistically significant correlation was found between each component of P300 and Hamilton Depression Scale scores (total and factor). Conclusions The abnormalities of grey matter volume are observed in certain brain regions in unmedicated female patients with first-episode MDD in this study. And the P300 in those patients are in correlation with many grey matter regions of the brain, especially temporal lobes and basal ganglia. Key words: Major depressive disorder; Event-related potentials,P300; Gray matter volume; Magnetic resonance imaging