Nature Communications (Apr 2019)

Lower synaptic density is associated with depression severity and network alterations

  • Sophie E. Holmes,
  • Dustin Scheinost,
  • Sjoerd J. Finnema,
  • Mika Naganawa,
  • Margaret T. Davis,
  • Nicole DellaGioia,
  • Nabeel Nabulsi,
  • David Matuskey,
  • Gustavo A. Angarita,
  • Robert H. Pietrzak,
  • Ronald S. Duman,
  • Gerard Sanacora,
  • John H. Krystal,
  • Richard E. Carson,
  • Irina Esterlis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09562-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Lowered synaptic density is believed to occur in major depressive disorder and PTSD, possibly as an effect of stress. Here, the authors use positron emission tomography (PET) to measure levels of the synaptic marker SV2A and show that SV2A density is lower in those with more severe symptoms of depression.