Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24465557›Full record

ArticlePloS one2014

Association between glucocorticoid receptor methylation and hippocampal subfields in major depressive disorder.

Kyoung-Sae Na, Hun Soo Chang, Eunsoo Won, Kyu-Man Han, Sunyoung Choi, Woo Suk Tae, Ho-Kyoung Yoon, Yong-Ku Kim, Sook-Haeng Joe, In-Kwa Jung and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
5.0field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

63 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 143 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Meta-analysis of cortical thickness abnormalities in medication-free patients with major depressive disorder.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2020
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Article
  8. Glucocorticoid receptor gene (Neurobiology of stress · 2026
    Article
  9. Epigenetic Mechanisms of Suicidal Behavior Formation: A Review.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2026
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (Alpha psychiatry · 2022
    Article
  20. Review

3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Kyoung-Sae NaDepartment of Psychiatry, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Hun Soo ChangDepartment of Medical Bioscience, Graduate school, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
Eunsoo WonDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyu-Man HanDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sunyoung ChoiBrain and Cognitive engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Woo Suk TaeNeuroscience Research Institute, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
Ho-Kyoung YoonDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yong-Ku KimDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sook-Haeng JoeDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
In-Kwa JungDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min-Soo LeeDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Byung-Joo HamDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Korea University · KRGachon University Gil Medical Center · KRKangwon National University · KRSoonchunhyang University · KR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDNA methylation in the promoter region of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is closely associated with childhood adversity and suicide. However, few studies have examined NR3C1 methylation in relation to major depressive disorder (MDD) and hippocampal subfield volumes. We investigated the possible association between NR3C1 methylation and structural brain alterations in MDD in comparison with healthy controls.

methodsWe compared the degree of NR3C1 promoter methylation in the peripheral blood of non-psychotic outpatients with MDD and that of healthy controls. Correlations among NR3C1 promoter methylation, structural abnormalities in hippocampal subfield volumes and whole-brain cortical thickness, and clinical variables were also analyzed.

resultsIn total, 117 participants (45 with MDD and 72 healthy controls) were recruited. Patients with MDD had significantly lower methylation than healthy controls at 2 CpG sites. In MDD, methylations had positive correlations with the bilateral cornu ammonis (CA) 2-3 and CA4-dentate gyrus (DG) subfields. However, in healthy controls, methylations had positive correlation with the subiculum and presubiculum. There were no differences in total and subfield volumes of the hippocampus between patients with MDD and healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, patients with MDD had a significantly thinner cortex in the left rostromiddle frontal, right lateral orbitofrontal, and right pars triangularis areas.

conclusionsLower methylation in the NR3C1 promoter, which might have compensatory effects relating to CA2-3 and CA4-DG, is a distinct epigenetic characteristic in non-psychotic outpatients with MDD. Future studies with a longitudinal design and a comprehensive neurobiological approach are warranted in order to elucidate the effects of NR3C1 methylation.

Indexed as

Epigenesis, GeneticAdolescentAdultAgedCA2 Region, HippocampalCA3 Region, HippocampalCase-Control StudiesDentate GyrusDNA MethylationFemaleHumansMajor Depressive DisorderMaleMiddle AgedPromoter Regions, GeneticReceptors, GlucocorticoidNR3C1 protein, humanReceptors, Glucocorticoid

Identifiers

PMID24465557
PMCPMC3897456
OpenAlexW2050515043

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.