Scientists find distinctive brain characteristics among depressed children

By Staff Writer

Wayne State University researchers have discovered a new way to distinguish children with major depressive disorder (MDD) from healthy children.

The report, which appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry, also revealed a neurological difference between children who had MDD and those who suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The findings are based on a measure of cortical thickness of 24 MDD patients, 24 OCD patients and 30 control patients with no psychological problems.

According to the study's authors, MDD participants had greater thickness in the bilateral temporal pole, compared to children in the other groups. Scientists also discovered that OCD patients had a thinner left supramarginal gyrus than other kids.

In addition, researchers found that children with at least one first-degree relative who had depression exhibited distinct cortical thickness.

Approximately one-third of depressed children do not respond to any treatment, the authors stated. The team hopes that these findings lead to more targeted therapies.

PBS reports that about 4 percent of teenagers in the U.S. develop serious depression each year. Adolescents who suffer from emotional disorders may benefit from a summer camp for kids.