INCREASE OF VISCERAL FAT AND ADRENAL GLAND VOLUME IN WOMEN WITH DEPRESSION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A MORPHOMETRIC MRI STUDY

Objective: Depression is often accompanied by increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT), stress, enlarged adrenal glands, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. VAT turn-over is regulated by adrenal stress hormones such as cortisol. Aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the adrenal volume as a marker for long-term stress and the volume fractions of several body fat compartments in healthy and depressive women. Methods: Ten depressive and 12 healthy women were investigated. Fat compartments (VAT, VAT in the upper abdomen, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT), and adrenal volume) were measured by MRI. Results: Depressive women revealed more VAT in the upper abdomen than the healthy. There was a significant correlation of age and Body Mass Index (BMI) with the visceral adipose tissue volume and adrenal gland size. In a partial correlation, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was correlated with VAT in the upper abdomen (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The increase of adrenal volume and VAT and the correlation of BDI with VAT in the upper abdomen support the hypothesis of long-term production of stress hormones in depression. This study is a further step toward describing morphologic substrates of depression in endocrine organs.