Association Between Anterior Cingulate Cortex Neurochemical Profile and Clinical Remission After Electroconvulsive Treatment in Major Depressive Disorder A Longitudinal H-1 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study

Ermiş Ç., Aydin B., Küçükgüçlü S., Yurt A., Renshaw P. F., Yıldız A.

JOURNAL OF ECT, vol.37, no.4, pp.263-269, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 37 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1097/yct.0000000000000766
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF ECT
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo
  • Page Numbers: pp.263-269
  • Keywords: magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electroconvulsive therapy, anterior cingulate cortex, glutamate, DEFINING REMISSION, THERAPY, GLUTAMATE, GABA, MYOINOSITOL, EFFICACY, ACID
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background The aim of the study was to assess anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) neurochemical profile of patients with unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by using H-1 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-MRS). Method Using H-1-MRS, the metabolite levels of choline, glutamate + glutamine (Glx), myo-inositol, N-acetylaspartate, and total creatine were measured in ACC before and after 4-week ECT. The Montgomery-angstrom sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was implemented by blind raters to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment. Electroconvulsive therapy-remitter (ER) and nonremitter groups were compared using the 1-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Results Thirty patients with unipolar MDD (aged 41.3 +/- 10.0 years, 66.7% female) were included in the study. The ER group (n = 16, 53.3%) and NR group did not differ regarding baseline Global Assessment of Functioning and MADRS scores. At the end of 4-week ECT treatment, results did not suggest any significant difference for metabolite levels in ACC. When compared with the NR group, the ER group had higher baseline levels of Glx (8.8 +/- 1.8 vs 6.3 +/- 2.0, P = 0.005) and total creatine (5.3 +/- 0.6 vs 4.7 +/- 0.5, P = 0.010). In addition, elevated baseline Glx (r = -0.68, P = 0.002) was associated with lower MADRS scores at the end treatment. Finally, the change in Glx levels was correlated with change in MADRS scores after ECT (r = 0.47, P = 0.049). Limitations Modest sample size and H-1-MRS at 1.5 Tesla are limitations of the study. Conclusions Results suggested that Glx levels could be a predictor of remission. Studies with larger samples should explore neurochemical correlates of ECT in unipolar MDD.