Brain Iron Deposits in Thalamus Is an Independent Factor for Depressive Symptoms Based on Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping in an Older Adults Community Population

Abstract

Objectives: With the trend of an aging population, an increasing prevalence of late-life depression has been identified. Several studies demonstrated that iron deposition was significantly related to the severity of symptoms in patients with depression. However, whether brain iron deposits influence depressive symptoms is so far unclear in the community of older adults. We measured iron deposition in deep intracranial nucleus by quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and aimed to explore the relationship between iron deposition and depressive symptoms. Methods: We reviewed the data of a community population from CIRCLE study, which is a single-center prospective observational study that enrolled individuals above 40 years old with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), while free of known dementia or stroke. We evaluated regional iron deposits on QSM, measured the volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and assessed depressive symptoms by Hamilton depression scale (HDRS). We defined depressive symptom as HDRS > 7. Results: A total of 185 participants were enrolled. Participants in depressive symptom group had higher QSM value in thalamus than control group (18.79 ± 14.94 vs 13.29 ± 7.64, p = 0.003). The QSM value in the thalamus was an independent factor for the presence of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.055; 95% CI: 1.011-1.100; p = 0.013). The regional QSM values in other areas were not associated with HDRS score (all p > 0.05). No significant correlations were observed between WMHs volume and HDRS score (p > 0.05), or regional QSM values and WMHs volume (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that iron deposits in the thalamus were related to the depressive symptoms in older adults.

Increased risk for cerebral small vessel disease is associated with quantitative susceptibility mapping in HIV infected and uninfected individuals

“…As MS progresses, the roles of microglia change from increased activation to eventual hypocellular lesions with small amounts of microglia ( Plastini et al, 2020 ). Throughout the MS lesion progression, QSM changes in response to the amount and roles of microglia and thus iron deposition ( Li et al, 2016 , Zhang et al, 2019a , Zhang et al, 2016 ). The microglial response to MS lesions indicates high molecular volatility in the MS nodules.…”

Brain iron and mental health symptoms in youth with and without prenatal alcohol exposure

“…That being said, participants in this study with ADHD were almost all taking psychostimulant medication, which is thought to normalize brain iron in the thalamus [75]. Previous research in adults show increased brain iron in the thalamus and putamen is related to depression severity [50-51]. We saw evidence of this trend in the unexposed group that had increasing internalizing symptoms with higher brain iron, while the opposite relationship was observed in youth with PAE.…”

“…Consistent with previous literature, we focused on key brain regions: the basal ganglia (nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen and pallidum), a primary site of iron accumulation, as well as limbic structures (thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala) which have been implicated in mental health issues. Based on previous research on brain iron in children with externalizing symptoms [39][40][41] and adults with internalizing symptoms [50][51], it was expected that across diagnostic groups, lower susceptibility of the caudate and putamen would be associated with more internalizing and externalizing symptoms and a group-susceptibility interaction was anticipated, such that in the PAE group lower susceptibility in the thalamus would be associated with more internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Consistent with Krueger and colleagues who found a trend-level association with caudate volume and internalizing symptoms in children with PAE [52], we hypothesized that the PAE group would have lower caudate volume and that this would be associated with more internalizing symptoms.…”

Brain Iron and Mental Health Symptoms in Youth with and without Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

“…Based on previous research on brain iron in children with externalizing symptoms [ 40 , 41 , 42 ] and adults with internalizing symptoms [ 52 , 53 ], it was expected that across diagnostic groups, a lower susceptibility of the caudate and putamen would be associated with more internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Further, a group–susceptibility interaction was anticipated, such that lower susceptibility in the thalamus would only be associated with more internalizing and externalizing symptoms in the PAE group.…”