White Matter Hyperintensities and Gray Matter Lesions in Physically Healthy Depressed Subjects

The findings suggest that cerebrovascular disease risk factors most likely mediated the relationship between depression and white matter hyperintensities seen in previous studies, however, the independent effect of depression, as well as an age-by-depression interaction, for small lesions suggests a causal role of depression in certain types of white matter pathology irrespective of other cerebro Vascular Disease risk factors.

Abstract

These findings suggest that cerebrovascular disease risk factors most likely mediated the relationship between depression and white matter hyperintensities seen in previous studies. However, the independent effect of depression, as well as an age-by-depression interaction, for small lesions suggests a causal role of depression in certain types of white matter pathology irrespective of other cerebrovascular disease risk factors. The volumetric method used in this study may be more sensitive than other methods in determining lesion characteristics and correlations with clinical variables.