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Olfactory bulb volume predicts therapeutic outcome in major depression disorder

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Abstract

The volume of the olfactory bulb (OB) is strongly reduced in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and this group exhibits markedly decreased olfactory function. It has been suggested that olfactory input is important for maintaining balance in limbic neurocircuits. The aim of our study was to investigate whether reduced OB volume is associated with response to therapy in MDD. Twenty-four inpatients (all women, age 21–49 years, mean 38 ± 10 years SD) with MDD and 36 healthy controls (all women, age 20–52 years, mean 36 ± 10 years SD) underwent structural MRI. OB volume was compared between responders (N = 13) and non-responders (N = 11) to psychotherapy. Retest of OB volume was performed about 6 months after the end of therapy in nine of the patients. Therapy responders exhibited no significant difference in OB volume compared to healthy controls. However, average OB volume of non-responders was 23 % smaller compared to responders (p = .0011). Furthermore, OB volume was correlated with the change of depression severity (r = .46, p = .024). Volume of the OB did not change in the course of therapy. OB volume may be a biological vulnerability factor for the occurrence and/or maintenance of depression, at least in women.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Roland Ernst Stiftung to TH and grant from the German Research Foundation to IC (DFG; CR 479/1-1).

Informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, and the applicable revisions at the time of the investigation. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee from the Technical University of the Dresden Medical School (EK254102008). Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

Conflict of interest

Simona Negoias, Thomas Hummel, Anja Symmank, Julia Schellong, Peter Joraschky, and Ilona Croy declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Simona Negoias, Thomas Hummel, Anja Symmank & Ilona Croy

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Bern University Hospital, Freiburgstrasse, 3010, Bern, Switzerland

    Simona Negoias

  3. Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Julia Schellong, Peter Joraschky & Ilona Croy

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  1. Simona Negoias
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  2. Thomas Hummel
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  3. Anja Symmank
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  4. Julia Schellong
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  5. Peter Joraschky
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  6. Ilona Croy
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Correspondence to Ilona Croy.

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Negoias, S., Hummel, T., Symmank, A. et al. Olfactory bulb volume predicts therapeutic outcome in major depression disorder. Brain Imaging and Behavior 10, 367–372 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-015-9400-x

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