The prognosis and changes of regional brain gray matter volume in MDD with gastrointestinal symptoms

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of all participants

Variable	GI symptoms group (n=24)	Non-GI symptoms group (n=21)	HCs group (n=30)	x^2/t/F-value	P-value
Gender (M/F)	9/15	10/11	16/14	1.35	0.508^a
Age (years)	34.79±10.71	34.14±10.24	33.43±8.98	0.13	0.882^b
Education (years)	12.75±2.88	13.29±3.04	13.97±3.10	1.10	0.337^b
HAMD
Total scores	25.50±2.55	24.48±2.77	―	1.29	0.204^c
HAMD reductive ratio for 2 weeks anti-depression	0.24±0.14	0.34±0.16	―	2.28	0.028^c*

Notes: ^aP-value for chi-square test. ^bP-values for one-way ANOVA. ^cP-values for two-sample t-test. * significant difference.

Abbreviations:  HAMD, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HC, healthy control;  GI:  gastrointestinal symptom.

Table 2 Regional GM volume differences in GI symptoms group, non-GI symptoms group and HCs group

Brain areas	Cluster size	BA	L/R	MNI coordinates ^a			F-value ^b
				x	y	z	(peak)
Parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus	279	30,35	L	−18	−32	−14	8.702
Parahippocampal gyrus	58	30	R	18	−24	−15	8.734
Middle frontal and precentral gyri	464	6	R	47	2	48	9.681
Superior occipital gyrus, Cuneus and Precuneus	170	18,7,23	R	20	−69	32	9.193

Notes: ^aCoordinates of primary peak locations in the Montreal Neurological Institute space. ^bF-statistical value of peak voxel showing GM volume differences among three groups. Adjusted by GRF (voxel-P<0.01, cluster- P<0.05, cluster size>50).

Abbreviations: BA, Brodmann area; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; HC, healthy control; GI: gastrointestinal symptom; GM, gray matter; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Table 3 Regional GM volume differences between two groups

Brain areas	Cluster size	BA	L/R	MNI coordinates			T-value
				x	y	z	(peak)
GI symptoms> non-GI symptoms
parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus	163	30,35	L	−21	−21	−17	2.920
paraHippocampal gyrus	50	30	R	18	−24	−14	2.817
GI symptoms<non-GI symptoms
Superior occipital gyrus, Cuneus and Precuneus	165	18,7,23	R	20	−70	30	−2.954
Middle frontal and precentral gyri	464	6	R	47	3	50	−4.818
Non-GI symptoms>HC
Superior occipital gyrus, cuneus and precuneus gyri	170	18,19	R	20	−69	33	4.023
Non-GI symptoms<HC
Parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus	279	30,35	L	−17	−32	−12	−4.246
Parahippocampal gyrus	58	30	R	18	−24	−15	−4.105
GI symptoms> HC	―
GI symptoms< HC
Parahippocampal gyrus	53	30	L	−18	−36	−12	−3.040
Middle frontal gyrus	184	6	R	35	5	51	−2.608

Notes: MNI coordinates: Coordinates of primary peak locations in the Montreal Neurological Institute space. T-statistical value of peak voxel showing GM volume differences among two groups. Adjusted by GRF (voxel-p<0.01, cluster-p<0.05, cluster size>50) .

Abbreviations: BA, Brodmann area; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; GM, gray matter; HC, healthy control;  GI:  gastrointestinal symptom; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Table 4 The correlation between the regional GM volume and clinical characteristics

Variable		The total scores of HAMD coefficient P-value		GI symptoms coefficient P-value
Brain areas	Parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus	0.258	0.087^d	0.422	0.004^e*
	Parahippocampal gyrus	−0.233	0.141^d	0.359	0.016^e*
	Superior occipital gyrus, Cuneus and Precuneus	−0.092	0.548^d	−0.614	0.001^e*
	Middle frontal and precentral gyri	−0.195	0.200^d	−0.417	0.004^e*
Clinical characteristics	HAMD reductive ratio for 2 weeks	―		−0.340	0.022^e*

Notes: ^d P-value for Pearson correlation. ^e P-values for Spearman correlation. * Statistical significance.Abbreviations: HAMD, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; GM, gray matter; GI, gastrointestinal symptom.

Figure 1 Regional GM volume differences in GI symptoms group, non-GI symptoms group and HCs group are displayed on axial, coronal and sagittal slices. Numbers indicate x, y and z slices and are displayed in MNI coordinates. Red color denotes increased GM volume. The color bars indicate the F-value based on one-way ANOVA in three groups. (voxel-P<0.01, cluster- P <0.05, cluster size>50, GRF correction).Abbreviations: GM, gray matter; HC, healthy control;  GI:  gastrointestinal symptom; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Figure 2 Regional GM volume differences between GI symptoms group and non-GI symptoms group displayed on axial, coronal and sagittal slices. Numbers indicate x, y and z slices and are displayed in MNI coordinates. Red and blue colors denote increased and decreased GM volume. The color bars indicate the T-value based on two-sample t-test. (voxel- P <0.01, cluster- P <0.05, cluster size>50, GRF correction).Abbreviations: GM, gray matter; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; GI:  gastrointestinal symptom; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Figure 3 Regional GM volume differences between non-GI symptoms group and HCs group displayed on axial, coronal and sagittal slices. Numbers indicate x, y and z slices and are displayed in MNI coordinates. Red and blue colors denote increased and decreased GM volume. The color bars indicate the T-value based on two-sample t-test. (voxel- P <0.01, cluster- P <0.05, cluster size>50, GRF correction).Abbreviations: HC, healthy control; GM, gray matter; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; GI:  gastrointestinal symptom; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Figure 4 Regional GM volume differences between GI symptoms group and HCs group displayed on axial, coronal and sagittal slices. Numbers indicate x, y and z slices and are displayed in MNI coordinates. Blue color denotes decreased GM volume. The color bars indicate the T-value based on two-sample t-test. (voxel- P <0.01, cluster- P <0.05, cluster size>50, GRF correction).Abbreviations: HC, healthy control; GM, gray matter; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; GI:  gastrointestinal symptom; GRF, Gaussian Random Field.

Availability of supporting data

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.