Elsevier

Biological Psychiatry

Volume 26, Issue 6, October 1989, Pages 565-575
Biological Psychiatry

Relationships between brain ct scan findings and cortisol in psychotic and nonpsychotic depressed patients

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(89)90081-4Get rights and content

Abstract

In this report, data are presented on pre- and postdexamethasone cortisol levels, neuropsychological testing, and computed tomography (CT) scan findings in 30 depressed patients (15 psychotic and 15 nonpsychotic). Particularly significant findings were observed when data from the unipolar subgroup (n = 22) were analyzed separately. Unipolar psychotic depressed patients had significantly larger (p < 0.05) anterior pole and cella media ventricle-to-brain ratios (VBRs) and significantly greater (p < 0.05) left and right inferior parietal brain “atrophy” than nonpsychotic depressed patients. Higher rates of Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) nonsuppression were observed in psychotic depressed patients and in patients with larger cella VBRs. Inferior parietal brain atrophv and large VBRs were also associated with greater cognitive impairment on psychometric testing. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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    Supported in part by NIMH Grant MH-38671, a grant from the Poitras Charitable Foundation, and by a grant from the Ruth Rothstein Greif Fund.

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