Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31603638›Full record

ArticleJournal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN2020

Brain structural correlates of alexithymia in patients with major depressive disorder

Katharina Förster, Verena Enneking, Katharina Dohm, Ronny Redlich, Susanne Meinert, Adina Isabel ` Geisler, Elisabeth Johanna Leehr, Harald Kugel, Bernhard T. Baune, Volker Arolt and 3 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 21% 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

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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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

13 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Katharina FörsterFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Verena EnnekingFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Katharina DohmFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Ronny RedlichFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Susanne MeinertFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Adina Isabel ` GeislerFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Elisabeth Johanna LeehrFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Harald KugelFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Bernhard T. BauneFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Volker AroltFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Pienie ZwitserloodFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Dominik GrotegerdFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
Udo DannlowskiFrom the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune).
University of Melbourne · AUFlorey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health · AUUniversity of Münster · DEFH Münster · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Alexithymia is a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD) and has been associated with diminished treatment response. Neuroimaging studies have revealed structural aberrations of the anterior cingulate cortex and the fusiform gyrus in healthy controls with high levels of alexithymia. The present study tried to corroborate and extend these results to patients with MDD compared with healthy controls. Methods: We investigated the relationship between alexithymia, depression and grey matter volume in 63 patients with MDD (mean age ± standard deviation = 42.43 yr ± 11.91; 33 female) and 46 healthy controls (45.35 yr ± 8.37; 22 female). We assessed alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. We conducted an alexithymia × group analysis of covariance; we used a region-of-interest approach, including the fusiform gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, and conducted whole brain analysis using voxelbased morphometry. Results: Our analysis revealed a significant alexithymia × group interaction in the fusiform gyrus (left, pFWE = 0.031; right, pFWE = 0.010). Higher alexithymia scores were associated with decreased grey matter volume in patients with MDD (pFWE = 0.009), but with increased grey matter volume of the fusiform gyrus in healthy controls (pFWE = 0.044). We found no significant main effects in the region-of-interest analysis. Limitations: Owing to the naturalistic nature of our study, patients with MDD and healthy controls differed significantly in their alexithymia scores. Conclusion: Our results showed the fusiform gyrus as a correlate of alexithymia. We also found differences related to alexithymia between patients with MDD and healthy controls in the fusiform gyrus. Our study encourages research related to the transition from risk to MDD in people with alexithymia.

Indexed as

AdultAffective SymptomsBrainCase-Control StudiesFemaleGray MatterHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMajor Depressive DisorderMaleMiddle AgedOrgan SizeTemporal Lobe

Identifiers

PMID31603638
PMCPMC7828911
OpenAlexW2989757082

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.