Brain Changes Associated With Depression Risk

People with a high family risk for depression had less brain matter on the right side, similar to that seen with Alzheimer's disease, according to U.S. researchers.

The researchers found with brain scans that there was a 28% thinning in the right cortex (the outer layer of the brain) in those with a family history of depression.

The findings were based on imaging studies of 131 people aged 6 to 54 with a family history of depression, as well as 54 people without.

Interestingly, those who had a predisposition to depression but had never been depressed had thinning on the right side, while those who actually had depression also showed thinning on the left side.

The researchers also gave the participants memory and attention tests and found that the thinning in the right cortex was associated with a worse performance on the tests.

"Our findings suggest," said study author Dr. Bradley Peterson, "that if you have thinning in the right hemisphere of the brain, you may be predisposed to depression and may also have some cognitive and inattention issues." Peterson further said that these brain changes may increase the risk of depression by disrupting a person's ability to decode and remember social and emotional cues from other people.

Peterson suggests that medications used to treat attention problems, such as stimulants, might be helpful in treating depression in some patients.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Sciences Academy.