Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41272682›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2025

Cortical thickness signature as a predictor of diagnostic transition from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder in late adolescence and early adulthood: a prospective nested case-control study.

Hao Sun, Na Shen, Zhilu Chen, Jiabo Shi, Junling Sheng, Rui Yan, Haowen Zou, Ting Wang, Shui Tian, Yiwen Wang and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Hao Sun *Nanjing Brain Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Na Shen *Nanjing Brain Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Zhilu ChenDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Jiabo ShiDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Junling ShengDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Rui YanDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Haowen ZouNanjing Brain Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Ting WangSchool of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
Shui TianDepartment of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Yiwen WangNanjing Brain Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Linging HuaDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Li XueSchool of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
Xiaoqin WangDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 249 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Zhijian YaoNanjing Brain Hospital, Clinical Teaching Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210029, China. zjyao@nju.edu.cn.
Qing LuSchool of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. luq@seu.edu.cn.

Funding

General Project of Nanjing Science and Technology Development Plan YKK23136Jiangsu Medical Innovation Center for Mental Illness CXZX202226Jiangsu Province Science and Technology Plan Project BE2023667Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Youth Fund BK20230154Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Youth Fund BK20241120Key Project of Science and Technology Innovation for Social Development in Suzhou 2022SS04National Natural Science Foundation of China 82101573National Natural Science Foundation of China 82151315National Natural Science Foundation of China 82271568National Natural Science Foundation of China 82301718National Natural Science Foundation of China 82401788
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are classified as distinct diagnostic categories. However, early identification of BD from MDD is challenging due to their high overlap in clinical features, particularly in late adolescence and early adulthood. This study aimed to explore biomarkers for the early identification of BD from MDD.

methodsThe study consists of 139 BD, 148 unipolar depression (UD), and 128 healthy controls (HC) participants ranging from late adolescence to early adulthood. In addition, an independent group of 62 patients initially diagnosed with MDD at baseline and transitioned to BD during follow-up was identified as initial depressive episode BD (IDE-BD). Cortical thickness and surface area were measured for all participants, along with the associations with clinical symptoms.

resultsIDE-BD shares similar cortical thickness patterns with BD and UD. Compared to HC, cortical thinning in the left inferior temporal cortex was observed across all depressive episode groups. Cortical thickness alterations in the right caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC.R) were observed specifically in the BD and IDE-BD but were absent in the UD. Compared to UD, IDE-BD exhibited significantly increased cortical thickness in the cACC.R. Moreover, the increase in cACC.R thickness in the IDE-BD was associated with hypomania and suicide risk scores.

conclusionsIn this cross-diagnostic study focusing on late adolescence and early adulthood, we found evidence suggesting shared and disease-specific cortical thickness patterns of depressive episodes. Our study offers potential insights into the neuropathological mechanisms of mood disorders and may contribute to the early identification of BD from MDD.

Indexed as

Bipolar DisorderBrain Cortical ThicknessCerebral CortexMajor Depressive DisorderAdolescentAdultCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleProspective StudiesYoung AdultBipolar disorderCortical thicknessEarly identificationUnipolar depression

Identifiers

PMID41272682
PMCPMC12639773

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.