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Grey matter volume predicts improvement in geriatric depression in response to Tai Chi compared to Health Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2023

Beatrix Krause-Sorio Open the ORCID record for Beatrix Krause-Sorio [Opens in a new window] ,
Prabha Siddarth ,
Michaela M. Milillo Open the ORCID record for Michaela M. Milillo [Opens in a new window] ,
Lisa Kilpatrick ,
Linda Ercoli ,
Katherine L. Narr  and
Helen Lavretsky Open the ORCID record for Helen Lavretsky [Opens in a new window]
Beatrix Krause-Sorio
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Prabha Siddarth
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Michaela M. Milillo
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Lisa Kilpatrick
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Linda Ercoli
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Katherine L. Narr
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Helen Lavretsky*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Helen Lavretsky, Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, 760 Westwood Plaza, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA. Phone: +1 (310) 794 4619. Email: hlavretsky@mednet.ucla.edu
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Abstract

Objectives:

Geriatric depression (GD) is associated with cognitive impairment and brain atrophy. Tai-Chi-Chih (TCC) is a promising adjunct treatment to antidepressants. We previously found beneficial effects of TCC on resting state connectivity in GD. We now tested the effect of TCC on gray matter volume (GMV) change and the association between baseline GMV and clinical outcome.

Participants:

Forty-nine participants with GD (>=60 y) underwent antidepressant treatment (38 women).

Intervention:

Participants completed 3 months of TCC (N = 26) or health and wellness education control (HEW; N = 23).

Measurements:

Depression and anxiety symptoms and MRI scans were acquired at baseline and 3-month follow-up. General linear models (GLMs) tested group-by-time interactions on clinical scores. Freesurfer 6.0 was used to process T1-weighted images and to perform voxel-wise whole-brain GLMs of group on symmetrized percent GMV change, and on the baseline GMV and symptom change association, controlling for baseline symptom severity. Age and sex served as covariates in all models.

Results:

There were no group differences in baseline demographics or clinical scores, symptom change from baseline to follow-up, or treatment-related GMV change. However, whole-brain analysis revealed that lower baseline GMV in several clusters in the TCC, but not the HEW group, was associated with larger improvements in anxiety. This was similar for right precuneus GMV and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions:

While we observed no effect on GMV due to the interventions, baseline regional GMV predicted symptom improvements with TCC but not HEW. Longer trials are needed to investigate the long-term effects of TCC on clinical symptoms and neuroplasticity.

Keywords

geriatric depressiongray matter volumeTai Chi
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , First View , pp. 1 - 9
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2023

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