Relationship between clinical symptoms and regional cerebral blood flow of unipolar depression

Abstract

　 There are many reports from brain function image studies of unipolar depression that hypoperfusion of blood flow in the frontal lobe is a characteristic of unipolar depression. But, the relationship between clinical symptoms of depression and the regional cerebral blood flow remains unclear. ^99mTC-ECD SPECT brain blood flow examinations of unipolar depression patients with remarkable psychomotor retardation were conducted. The relationship between psychomotor retardation symptoms on HDRS score and brain blood flow was assessed. A significantly wider range of hypoperfusion was observed in the bilateral frontal lobe including the left middle frontal gyrus in the psychomotor retardation group compared to the control group. In relation to the regional blood flow rate ratio in the frontal lobe and the score of HDRS sub items, a high positive correlation was observed between the hyperactivity in the right anterior cingulate gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus and psychomotor retardation symptoms.These results suggest that the symptoms of the psychomotor retardation group of unipolar depression are related to cerebral hypofunction of the middle frontal gyrus located in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition, it was suggested that cognitive, behavioral and emotional symptoms in the psychomotor retardation group of unipolar depression are related to dysfunction of the right anterior cingulate gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus.