Late-Life Depression, Antidepressant Effects, and the Vascular Hypothesis: An Imaging Study

Cerebrovascular changes and disease may be a risk factor, potential mechanism, and outcome modifier for depression in late life. These researchers examined cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by MRI with arterial spin labeling in 46 patients aged >50 with major depression who were receiving 12 weeks of open-label venlafaxine (150–300 mg).

CBF was measured at 5 time points, from before treatment to week 12. Remission rate was relatively high, and all patients showed some improvement. In analyses controlling for cognitive status and sex, improvement in depression from baseline to 12 weeks was significantly associated with increases in CBF in the middle/posterior cingulate, precuneus, angular/supramarginal gyri, middle/superior frontal gyri, sup…