Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder
Abstract Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as a significant non-invasive imaging technique in psychiatric research, allowing for detailed structural assessment of the retinal layers. While OCT has been promising for monitoring neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06775-7 |
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| author | Evelyn B.N. Friedel Malina Beringer Dominique Endres Kimon Runge Simon Maier Sebastian Küchlin Jürgen Kornmeier Katharina Domschke Sven P. Heinrich Ludger Tebartz van Elst Kathrin Nickel |
| author_facet | Evelyn B.N. Friedel Malina Beringer Dominique Endres Kimon Runge Simon Maier Sebastian Küchlin Jürgen Kornmeier Katharina Domschke Sven P. Heinrich Ludger Tebartz van Elst Kathrin Nickel |
| author_sort | Evelyn B.N. Friedel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as a significant non-invasive imaging technique in psychiatric research, allowing for detailed structural assessment of the retinal layers. While OCT has been promising for monitoring neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, results in major depressive disorder (MDD) remain inconsistent. Building on findings of attenuated electroretinogram (ERG) responses in MDD, indicating functional retinal alterations, this study investigated whether structural retinal changes, such as thinning of retinal layers, also occur in patients with MDD and whether these changes are associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods OCT examinations were conducted on 31 MDD patients and 60 healthy controls (HC). The thickness and volumes of macular retinal layers were analyzed and correlated with depressive symptoms. Results The thickness of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) was significantly reduced in MDD patients (p = 0.003) and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (BDI-II scores; p = 0.001). The thickness and volume of the ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer were further inversely associated with depressive symptoms in MDD patients (BDI-II and MADRS scores; p < 0.02). Conclusions ONL thinning in MDD suggests possible neurodegenerative processes that may disturb signal transmission downstream, as indicated by altered ERG responses in MDD. Further research is essential to determine the reversibility of these structural changes following remission. Structural retinal analysis with OCT offers the potential to complement functional ERG examinations and represents a promising approach for developing diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring tools for MDD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-69d80e8bcdce40cb827438b6e879a6fd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-69d80e8bcdce40cb827438b6e879a6fd2025-08-20T03:06:57ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-04-0125111210.1186/s12888-025-06775-7Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorderEvelyn B.N. Friedel0Malina Beringer1Dominique Endres2Kimon Runge3Simon Maier4Sebastian Küchlin5Jürgen Kornmeier6Katharina Domschke7Sven P. Heinrich8Ludger Tebartz van Elst9Kathrin Nickel10Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgEye Center, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgEye Center, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgAbstract Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as a significant non-invasive imaging technique in psychiatric research, allowing for detailed structural assessment of the retinal layers. While OCT has been promising for monitoring neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, results in major depressive disorder (MDD) remain inconsistent. Building on findings of attenuated electroretinogram (ERG) responses in MDD, indicating functional retinal alterations, this study investigated whether structural retinal changes, such as thinning of retinal layers, also occur in patients with MDD and whether these changes are associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods OCT examinations were conducted on 31 MDD patients and 60 healthy controls (HC). The thickness and volumes of macular retinal layers were analyzed and correlated with depressive symptoms. Results The thickness of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) was significantly reduced in MDD patients (p = 0.003) and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (BDI-II scores; p = 0.001). The thickness and volume of the ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer were further inversely associated with depressive symptoms in MDD patients (BDI-II and MADRS scores; p < 0.02). Conclusions ONL thinning in MDD suggests possible neurodegenerative processes that may disturb signal transmission downstream, as indicated by altered ERG responses in MDD. Further research is essential to determine the reversibility of these structural changes following remission. Structural retinal analysis with OCT offers the potential to complement functional ERG examinations and represents a promising approach for developing diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring tools for MDD.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06775-7Optical coherence tomographyOCTMajor depressive disorderDepression |
| spellingShingle | Evelyn B.N. Friedel Malina Beringer Dominique Endres Kimon Runge Simon Maier Sebastian Küchlin Jürgen Kornmeier Katharina Domschke Sven P. Heinrich Ludger Tebartz van Elst Kathrin Nickel Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder BMC Psychiatry Optical coherence tomography OCT Major depressive disorder Depression |
| title | Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| title_full | Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| title_fullStr | Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| title_short | Optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| title_sort | optical coherence tomography in patients with major depressive disorder |
| topic | Optical coherence tomography OCT Major depressive disorder Depression |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06775-7 |
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