Multimodal MR Prediction Models for Late-Life Depression and Treatment Response

Currently, depression diagnosis relies primarily on behavioral symptoms and signs, instead of underlying brain characteristics, and treatment is guided by trial and error instead of individual suitability associated with underlying brain characteristics. Also, previous brain-imaging studies attempting to resolve this issue have traditionally focused on mid-life depression using a single imaging modality and region-based approach, which may not fully explain the complexity of the underlying brain characteristics; especially for late-life depression. We aimed to evaluate and compare underlying brain characteristics of late-life depression diagnosis and treatment response by estimating accurate prediction models using multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging and non-imaging measures. Based on our finding, late-life depression diagnosis and treatment response predictors involve measures from different imaging modalities, which are indicative of differences in underlying brain characteristics