This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.The effect of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism on the structure, more specifically the volume and morphology, of the anterior cingulate (AC), amygdala, and hippocampus will be measured. The surface-based mesh modelling method of analysis of the sMRI data will be conducted in collaboration with Professor Arthur W. Toga, Director, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, UCLA. The morphology of each structure will be analysed with surface-based anatomical mesh modelling methods to produce a 3D rendering (Thompson et al., 1986; Ballmaier et al., 2004; Narr et al., 2004). With this method, quantitative contrasts are possible. The morphological analysis of cerebral structures in unipolar depression is novel as previous studies have investigated geriatric depression (Ballmaier et al., 2004) and schizophrenia (Narr et al., 2004). Moreover, each structure will be modelled by two factors (diagnosis, genotype), and their interaction will be examined in a 2x2 ANOVA of diagnosis (patients, controls) and genotype (SS/SL, LL) with permutation testing. The morphological analysis of the AC and amygdala will inform the fMRI analysis, and it is expected that genotype will affect the morphology of the hippocampi.
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