Smaller Hippocampi in Depression Due to Childhood Maltreatment

Depression has been associated with smaller hippocampi, possibly mediated by stress-induced increases in cortisol, although some studies have suggested that a small hippocampus may be a trait that predisposes to depression. These researchers used two methods to measure hippocampal size in 85 inpatients with rigorously diagnosed major depression (mean age, 37) and 85 age-matched controls without psychiatric histories.

All participants were assessed for childhood adversity with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Although depressed subjects had smaller hippocampi than controls, mean hippocampal size in both depressed and control groups was inversely correlated with estimates of childhood maltreatment according to CTQ scores. After adjust…