Mediation on the Association Between Stressful Life Events and Depression by Abnormal White Matter Microstructures

Yun Wang; Qi Wang; Jie Xie; Yan Zhu; Danwei Zhang; Guohai Li; Xiaolan Zhu; Yuefeng Li

doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.03.009

Mediation on the Association Between Stressful Life Events and Depression by Abnormal White Matter Microstructures

Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2022 Feb;7(2):162-170. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.03.009. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Authors

Yun Wang¹, Qi Wang², Jie Xie², Yan Zhu², Danwei Zhang³, Guohai Li⁴, Xiaolan Zhu⁵, Yuefeng Li⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China; Department of Clinical Psychology, Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China.
² Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
³ Department of Clinical Psychology, Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Psychology, Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China. Electronic address: liguohaitg@126.com.
⁵ Department of Central Laboratory, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
⁶ Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China; Department of Clinical Psychology, Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China. Electronic address: jiangdalyf@163.com.

PMID: 33775928
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.03.009

Abstract

Background: Stressful life events (SLEs) are an important causal factor in depression; however, the mechanism by which SLEs cause depression remains unclear. Recent studies suggested that white matter (WM) microstructures might be a potential mediator between SLEs and depression. Hence, we aimed to investigate the concrete correspondence among them using mediation effect models.

Methods: In participants (N = 194) with SLEs experience prospectively recruited from six residential communities, WM microstructures were detected with diffusion tensor imaging. The interrelationship among SLEs, WM microstructures, and depression was explored with multiple linear regression models and logistic regression models. Furthermore, the influence of WM microstructures on the association between SLEs and depression was tested with mediation effect models.

Results: Successfully established mediation effect models showed the specific influence of fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum and left uncinate fasciculus on the association between SLEs and depression onset (ab path = 0.032; ab path = 0.026, respectively) and between SLEs and depressive severity (ab path = 0.052; ab path = 0.067, respectively). In addition, significant total mediation effects on the association between SLEs and depression onset (ab path = 0.031) and severity (ab path = 0.075) through fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum and left uncinate fasciculus were noted.

Conclusions: WM microstructure alterations impose a substantial mediation effect on the association between SLEs and depression, which suggest that changes in WM microstructure integrity might increase the risk of depression onset and unfavorable disease courses induced by the SLEs.

Keywords: Depression; Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI); Mediation effect model; Stressful life events (SLEs); Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS); White matter (WM) microstructures.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anisotropy
Depression
Diffusion Tensor Imaging / methods
Humans
Nerve Net
White Matter*