Changes in gray matter volume following electroconvulsive therapy in adolescent depression with suicidal ideation: A longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging study

Abstract

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate changes in whole-brain gray matter volumes (GMVs) before and after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicidal ideation (SI).MethodsThirty adolescents with MDD and SI were observed, and structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) was performed at baseline and after ECT for each patient. But Twenty-five healthy controls (HCs) were scanned only at baseline. The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) techniques were used to examine GMVs.ResultsCompared with HCs, MDDs at baseline showed decreased GMVs in the left middle temporal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left precuneus, right precuneus, and left superior frontal gyrus. After ECT, MDDs showed increased GMVs in the right superior frontal gyrus and right superior temporal gyrus. Pearson’s correlation found that Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI) scores at baseline were negatively correlated with GMVs in the left superior frontal gyrus and HAMD and BSSI scores after ECT were negatively correlated with GMVs in the right superior temporal gyrus.ConclusionFrontal–temporal–precuneus structure changes may be a potential cause of depressive and suicidal symptoms in adolescents. ECT may improve depressive and suicidal symptoms in adolescents by regulating brain structures to compensate original defects.