Brain Imaging in Depression

- INCLUSION CRITERIA - MDD Depressed Sample:

Thirty subjects (ages 18-45) male and female will be selected, with primary MDD currently depressed as defined by DSM-IV criteria for recurrent MDD and current HDRS score in the moderately-to-severely depressed range (greater than 18) and who have a first degree relative with MDD but no first degree relatives with mania, alcoholism, or antisocial personality disorder.

INCLUSION CRITERIA - Bipolar Depressed Sample:

Thirty subjects (ages 18-45) male and female will be selected who meet DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I or II disorder and are currently depressed, with HDRS score in the moderately-to-severely depressed range (greater than 18). Subjects may be inpatients or outpatients. Because effective treatment will not be discontinued for the purposes of this protocol, subjects will be identified who have never been treated or who have discontinued medication due to lack of efficacy, noncompliance, physician order, or other reasons prior to study entry.

INCLUSION CRITERIA - Healthy, Control Sample:

Thirty subjects (ages 18-45) male and female who have not met criteria for any major psychiatric disorder will be selected. From this large sample a control subject will be matched to each depressed subject for age, gender, handedness and stage of menstrual cycle. The control subjects will have no known first degree relatives with mood disorders.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Subjects must not have taken antidepressant or other medications likely to alter monoamine neurochemistry or cerebrovascular function for at least 3 weeks (8 weeks for fluoxetine and for any drug with known anticholinergic effects) prior to scanning. Because effective medications will not be discontinued for the purposes of this study, subjects will be identified who have never been treated or who have discontinued medication due to lack of efficacy, noncompliance, physician order or other reasons prior to study entry. Subjects will also be excluded if they: a) serious suidical ideation or behavior - 1) thoughts of suicide within the past three months which are accompanied by intet to harm oneself, serious consideration of means or plan to attempt suicide, evidence of arranging for a suicide attemp (e.g. giving away prized possessions, updating a will) or clear desire to commit suicide; 2) suicide attempts within the previous one year; or 3) a current plan to inflict self harm or physical evidence suspicious for having engaged in a suicide attempt.

Subjects will also be excluded if they had any significant comorbid condition in the last year, c) psychosis to the extent that the ability to provide informed consent is in doubt, d) history of any major psychiatric disorder (other than the target mood disorder) arising temporally before the initial mood episode, e) medical or neurological illnesses (i.e. seizure disorder, a coma in past) likely to affect physiology or anatomy, f) a history of drug or alcohol abuse within 1 year or a lifetime history of alcohol or drug dependence (DSM IV criteria), g) are HIV positive or have AIDS, h) current pregnancy (documented by history and pregnancy testing prior to scanning), i) current breast feeding, j) general MRI exclusion criteria which include the subject having a pacemaker or significant claustrophobia and k) if they are smokers.