Hirnmorphologische Veränderungen bei Altersdepressionen: Eine morphometrische computertomographische Studie

The inner and outer cerebrovascular spaces visualized by CT were measured planimetrically in 34 patients (6 men, 28 women; mean age 70.7 years) with senile depression. The purpose was to ascertain whether computed tomography (CT) can detect morphological changes in the brain of patients with senile depression. Compared with a control group without evidence of neurological and psychiatric abnormalities (10 men; 33 women; mean age 70.8 years), there was an enlargement in the group with senile depression of the lateral ventricles (P less than 0.05), occipital sulci (P less than 0.05) and lateral sulci (P less than 0.01). There was no correlation with the duration of illness or the stage of depression. These findings point to the cerebral structural changes having already been present previously and argue against a progressive process of atrophy. In the case of senile psychiatric changes, cerebral morphological changes should be paid more attention, in addition to any results from research into psychosocial causes.