TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Erythropoietin on Hippocampal Volume and Memory in Mood Disorders
AU - Miskowiak, Kamilla Woznica
AU - Vinberg, Maj
AU - Macoveanu, Julian
AU - Ehrenreich, Hannelore
AU - Køster, Nicolai
AU - Inkster, Becky
AU - Paulson, Olaf B.
AU - Kessing, Lars V.
AU - Skimminge, Arnold
AU - Siebner, Hartwig R.
N1 - Copyright © 2015 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/8/15
Y1 - 2015/8/15
N2 - BACKGROUND: Persistent cognitive dysfunction in depression and bipolar disorder (BD) impedes patients' functional recovery. Erythropoietin (EPO) increases neuroplasticity and reduces cognitive difficulties in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and remitted BD. This magnetic resonance imaging study assessed the neuroanatomical basis for these effects.METHODS: Patients with TRD who were moderately depressed or BD in partial remission were randomized to 8 weekly EPO (40,000 IU) or saline infusions in a double-blind, parallel-group design. Patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging, memory assessment with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and mood ratings with the Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Young Mania Rating Scale at baseline and week 14. Hippocampus segmentation and analysis of hippocampal volume, shape, and gray matter density were conducted with FMRIB Software Library tools. Memory change was analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of covariance adjusted for depression symptoms, diagnosis, age, and gender.RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were randomized; 1 patient withdrew and data collection was incomplete for 14 patients; data were thus analyzed for 69 patients (EPO: n = 35, saline: n = 34). Compared with saline, EPO was associated with mood-independent memory improvement and reversal of brain matter loss in the left hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 to cornu ammonis 3 and subiculum. Using the entire sample, memory improvement was associated with subfield hippocampal volume increase independent of mood change.CONCLUSIONS: EPO-associated memory improvement in TRD and BD may be mediated by reversal of brain matter loss in a subfield of the left hippocampus. EPO may provide a therapeutic option for patients with mood disorders who have impaired neuroplasticity and cognition.
AB - BACKGROUND: Persistent cognitive dysfunction in depression and bipolar disorder (BD) impedes patients' functional recovery. Erythropoietin (EPO) increases neuroplasticity and reduces cognitive difficulties in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and remitted BD. This magnetic resonance imaging study assessed the neuroanatomical basis for these effects.METHODS: Patients with TRD who were moderately depressed or BD in partial remission were randomized to 8 weekly EPO (40,000 IU) or saline infusions in a double-blind, parallel-group design. Patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging, memory assessment with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and mood ratings with the Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Young Mania Rating Scale at baseline and week 14. Hippocampus segmentation and analysis of hippocampal volume, shape, and gray matter density were conducted with FMRIB Software Library tools. Memory change was analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of covariance adjusted for depression symptoms, diagnosis, age, and gender.RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were randomized; 1 patient withdrew and data collection was incomplete for 14 patients; data were thus analyzed for 69 patients (EPO: n = 35, saline: n = 34). Compared with saline, EPO was associated with mood-independent memory improvement and reversal of brain matter loss in the left hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 to cornu ammonis 3 and subiculum. Using the entire sample, memory improvement was associated with subfield hippocampal volume increase independent of mood change.CONCLUSIONS: EPO-associated memory improvement in TRD and BD may be mediated by reversal of brain matter loss in a subfield of the left hippocampus. EPO may provide a therapeutic option for patients with mood disorders who have impaired neuroplasticity and cognition.
KW - Adult
KW - Bipolar Disorder
KW - Depressive Disorder
KW - Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant
KW - Erythropoietin
KW - Female
KW - Hippocampus
KW - Humans
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Male
KW - Memory
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Mood Disorders
KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.013
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.013
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 25641635
SN - 0006-3223
VL - 78
SP - 270
EP - 277
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
IS - 4
ER -