Molecular Senescence Is Associated With White Matter Microstructural Damage in Late-Life Depression

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019 Dec;27(12):1414-1418. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2019.06.006. Epub 2019 Jun 22.

Abstract

Objectives: The authors aim to investigate the association between white matter integrity and accelerated brain aging in late-life depression.

Methods: The authors measured senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) index proteins, cognitive performance, and MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity-based indices of white matter microstructure measures in 56 older adults with remitted late-life depression.

Results: Higher SASP index was significantly correlated with older age (r = 0.42, p = 0.001) and worse executive function performance (r = -0.27, p = 0.04). After controlling for the effect of age, overall cognitive performance, and white matter hyperintensities, the association between SASP and left and right cingulate bundle mean diffusivity remained statistically significant.

Conclusions: Our data suggest that, in the context of late-life depression, SASP proteins are associated with microstructural abnormalities in white matter tracts in brain and worse executive function performance.

Keywords: DTI; Late-life depression; SASP; mean diffusivity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Cellular Senescence*
  • Cognition*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / diagnostic imaging*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / metabolism
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Executive Function*
  • Female
  • Gyrus Cinguli / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • White Matter / diagnostic imaging*