Brain Changes Induced by Electroconvulsive Therapy Are Broadly Distributed

© 2019 Society of Biological Psychiatry Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is associated with volumetric enlargements of corticolimbic brain regions. However, the pattern of whole-brain structural alterations following ECT remains unresolved. Here, we examined the longitudinal effects of ECT on global and local variations in gray matter, white matter, and ventricle volumes in patients with major depressive disorder as well as predictors of ECT-related clinical response. Methods: Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data from the Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC) were used to investigate changes in white matter, gray matter, and ventricle volumes before and after ECT in 328 patients experiencing a major depressive episode. In addition, 95 nondepressed control subjects were scanned twice. We performed a mega-analysis of single subject data from 14 independent GEMRIC sites. Results: Volumetric increases occurred in 79 of 84 gray matter regions of interest. In total, the cortical volume increased by mean ± SD of 1.04 ± 1.03% (Cohen\u27s d = 1.01, p \u3c .001) and the subcortical gray matter volume increased by 1.47 ± 1.05% (d = 1.40, p \u3c .001) in patients. The subcortical gray matter increase was negatively associated with total ventricle volume (Spearman\u27s rank correlation ρ = −.44, p \u3c .001), while total white matter volume remained unchanged (d = −0.05, p = .41). The changes were modulated by number of ECTs and mode of electrode placements. However, the gray matter volumetric enlargements were not associated with clinical outcome. Conclusions: The findings suggest that ECT induces gray matter volumetric increases that are broadly distributed. However, gross volumetric increases of specific anatomically defined regions may not serve as feasible biomarkers of clinical response

Transient Cognitive Impairment and White Matter Hyperintensities in Severely Depressed Older Patients Treated With Electroconvulsive Therapy

BACKGROUND: Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe late life depression (LLD), transient cognitive impairment can be a reason to discontinue the treatment. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between structural brain characteristics and general cognitive function during and after ECT. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with LLD from the prospective naturalistic follow-up Mood Disorders in Elderly treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy study were examined. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired before ECT. Overall brain morphology (white and grey matter) was evaluated using visual rating scales. Cognitive functioning before, during, and after ECT was measured using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). A linear mixed-model analysis was performed to analyze the association between structural brain alterations and cognitive functioning over time. RESULTS: Patients with moderate to severe white matter hyperintensities (WMH) showed significantly lower MMSE scores than patients without severe WMH (F(1,75.54) = 5.42, p = 0.02) before, during, and post-ECT, however their trajectory of cognitive functioning was similar as no time × WMH interaction effect was observed (F(4,65.85) = 1.9, p = 0.25). Transient cognitive impairment was not associated with medial temporal or global cortical atrophy (MTA, GCA). CONCLUSION: All patients showed a significant drop in cognitive functioning during ECT, which however recovered above baseline levels post-ECT and remained stable until at least 6 months post-ECT, independently of severity of WMH, GCA, or MTA. Therefore, clinicians should not be reluctant to start or continue ECT in patients with severe structural brain alterations

Are Apathy and Depressive Symptoms Related to Vascular White Matter Hyperintensities in Severe Late Life Depression?

OBJECTIVE: Apathy symptoms are defined as a lack of interest and motivation. Patients with late-life depression (LLD) also suffer from lack of interest and motivation and previous studies have linked apathy to vascular white matter hyperintensities (WMH) of the brain in depressed and nondepressed patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between apathy symptoms, depressive symptoms, and WMH in LLD. We hypothesize that late-onset depression (LOD; first episode of depression after 55 years of age) is associated with WMH and apathy symptoms. METHODS: Apathy scores were collected for 87 inpatients diagnosed with LLD. Eighty patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Associations between depressive and apathy symptoms and WMH were analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: All 3 subdomains of the 10-item Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale correlated significantly with the apathy scale score (all P < .05). In the total sample, apathy nor depressive symptoms were related to specific WMH. In LOD only, periventricular WMH were associated with depression severity (β = 5.21, P = .04), while WMH in the left infratentorial region were associated with apathy symptoms (β coefficient = 5.89, P = .03). CONCLUSION: Apathy and depressive symptoms are highly overlapping in the current cohort of older patients with severe LLD, leading to the hypothesis that apathy symptoms are part of depressive symptoms in the symptom profile of older patients with severe LLD. Neither apathy nor depressive symptoms were related to WMH, suggesting that radiological markers of cerebrovascular disease, such as WMH, may not be useful in predicting these symptoms in severe LLD

The Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC): Establishing a multi-site investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying response to electroconvulsive therapy.

Major depression, currently the world's primary cause of disability, leads to profound personal suffering and increased risk of suicide. Unfortunately, the success of antidepressant treatment varies amongst individuals and can take weeks to months in those who respond. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), generally prescribed for the most severely depressed and when standard treatments fail, produces a more rapid response and remains the most effective intervention for severe depression. Exploring the neurobiological effects of ECT is thus an ideal approach to better understand the mechanisms of successful therapeutic response. Though several recent neuroimaging studies show structural and functional changes associated with ECT, not all brain changes associate with clinical outcome. Larger studies that can address individual differences in clinical and treatment parameters may better target biological factors relating to or predictive of ECT-related therapeutic response. We have thus formed the Global ECT-MRI Research Collaboration (GEMRIC) that aims to combine longitudinal neuroimaging as well as clinical, behavioral and other physiological data across multiple independent sites. Here, we summarize the ECT sample characteristics from currently participating sites, and the common data-repository and standardized image analysis pipeline developed for this initiative. This includes data harmonization across sites and MRI platforms, and a method for obtaining unbiased estimates of structural change based on longitudinal measurements with serial MRI scans. The optimized analysis pipeline, together with the large and heterogeneous combined GEMRIC dataset, will provide new opportunities to elucidate the mechanisms of ECT response and the factors mediating and predictive of clinical outcomes, which may ultimately lead to more effective personalized treatment approaches

Physical play - How do we inspire and motivate young children to be physically active through play? An international analysis of twelve countries’ national early years curriculum policies and practices for physical activity and physical play

Lifelong movement and physical activity (PA) patterns develop during early childhood. Therefore, educators (teachers and practitioners) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) should provide opportunities to support children’s play, PA, and movement development. The World Health Organization (2019) offers new recommendations for PA, for children under five years. The guidelines do not specify the ways ECEC staff can support PA through play. Therefore, this paper investigates, how physical play (PP) is enacted globally. An international policy and practice analysis of twelve countries, (Australia [Victoria], Belgium [Flanders], Canada [Alberta], China, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK [England] and USA) was completed by analyzing the ECEC curricula and their implementation in different cultural contexts. A content analysis was undertaken by AIESEP Early Years SIG experts revealing that PP was not clearly defined. When defined, it was described as PA, and important for children’s holistic development. The majority of curricula did not state the length/time for PP. Three main strategies for implementing PP were found: a) pedagogical framework; b) active learning methods; and c) motor development. This international analysis highlights the global need for better ECEC staff support in acknowledging and implementing PP to aid children’s overall development, PA and wellbeing

Exploring resting state connectivity in patients with psychotic depression

BACKGROUND: Severe depression is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Neural network dysfunction may contribute to disease mechanisms underlying different clinical subtypes. Here, we apply resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging based measures of brain connectivity to investigate network dysfunction in severely depressed in-patients with and without psychotic symptoms. METHODS: A cohort study was performed at two sites. Older patients with major depressive disorder with or without psychotic symptoms were included (n = 23 at site one, n = 26 at site two). Resting state 3-Tesla functional MRI scans, with eyes closed, were obtained and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scales were completed. We denoised data and calculated resting state networks in the two groups separately. We selected five networks of interest (1. bilateral frontoparietal, 2.left lateralized frontoparietal, 3.right lateralized frontoparietal, 4.default mode network (DMN) and 5.bilateral basal ganglia and insula network) and performed regression analyses with severity of depression, as well as presence or absence of psychotic symptoms. RESULTS: The functional connectivity (FC) patterns did not correlate with severity of depression. Depressed patients with psychotic symptoms (n = 14, 61%) compared with patients without psychotic symptoms (n = 9, 39%) from site one showed significantly decreased FC in the right part of the bilateral frontoparietal network (p = 0.002). This result was not replicated when comparing patients with (n = 9, 35%) and without (n = 17, 65%) psychotic symptoms from site two. CONCLUSION: Psychotic depression may be associated with decreased FC of the frontoparietal network, which is involved in cognitive control processes, such as attention and emotion regulation. These findings suggest that FC in the frontoparietal network may be related to the subtype of depression, i.e. presence of psychotic symptoms, rather than severity of depression. Since the findings could not be replicated in the 2nd sample, replication is needed before drawing definite conclusions