Frontiers in Psychiatry (Jan 2022)

Focusing on Comorbidity—A Novel Meta-Analytic Approach and Protocol to Disentangle the Specific Neuroanatomy of Co-occurring Mental Disorders

  • Lydia Fortea,
  • Lydia Fortea,
  • Lydia Fortea,
  • Anton Albajes-Eizagirre,
  • Yuan-Wei Yao,
  • Yuan-Wei Yao,
  • Yuan-Wei Yao,
  • Edu Soler,
  • Norma Verdolini,
  • Norma Verdolini,
  • Norma Verdolini,
  • Norma Verdolini,
  • Alexander O. Hauson,
  • Alexander O. Hauson,
  • Adriana Fortea,
  • Adriana Fortea,
  • Adriana Fortea,
  • Adriana Fortea,
  • Adriana Fortea,
  • Santiago Madero,
  • Santiago Madero,
  • Aleix Solanes,
  • Aleix Solanes,
  • Scott C. Wollman,
  • Maria Serra-Blasco,
  • Maria Serra-Blasco,
  • Maria Serra-Blasco,
  • Toby Wise,
  • Steve Lukito,
  • Maria Picó-Pérez,
  • Maria Picó-Pérez,
  • Maria Picó-Pérez,
  • Christina Carlisi,
  • Christina Carlisi,
  • JinTao Zhang,
  • PingLei Pan,
  • Álvar Farré-Colomés,
  • Álvar Farré-Colomés,
  • Danilo Arnone,
  • Danilo Arnone,
  • Matthew J. Kempton,
  • Matthew J. Kempton,
  • Carles Soriano-Mas,
  • Carles Soriano-Mas,
  • Carles Soriano-Mas,
  • Katya Rubia,
  • Luke Norman,
  • Luke Norman,
  • Luke Norman,
  • Paolo Fusar-Poli,
  • Paolo Fusar-Poli,
  • Paolo Fusar-Poli,
  • Paolo Fusar-Poli,
  • David Mataix-Cols,
  • David Mataix-Cols,
  • Marc Valentí,
  • Marc Valentí,
  • Marc Valentí,
  • Marc Valentí,
  • Marc Valentí,
  • Esther Via,
  • Esther Via,
  • Narcis Cardoner,
  • Narcis Cardoner,
  • Narcis Cardoner,
  • Marco Solmi,
  • Marco Solmi,
  • Marco Solmi,
  • Marco Solmi,
  • Jae I. Shin,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Joaquim Radua,
  • Joaquim Radua,
  • Joaquim Radua,
  • Joaquim Radua

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.807839
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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BackgroundIn mental health, comorbidities are the norm rather than the exception. However, current meta-analytic methods for summarizing the neural correlates of mental disorders do not consider comorbidities, reducing them to a source of noise and bias rather than benefitting from their valuable information.ObjectivesWe describe and validate a novel neuroimaging meta-analytic approach that focuses on comorbidities. In addition, we present the protocol for a meta-analysis of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities.MethodsThe novel approach consists of a modification of Seed-based d Mapping—with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI) in which the linear models have no intercept. As in previous SDM meta-analyses, the dependent variable is the brain anatomical difference between patients and controls in a voxel. However, there is no primary disorder, and the independent variables are the percentages of patients with each disorder and each pair of potentially comorbid disorders. We use simulations to validate and provide an example of this novel approach, which correctly disentangled the abnormalities associated with each disorder and comorbidity. We then describe a protocol for conducting the new meta-analysis of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities. Specifically, we will include all voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of mental disorders for which a meta-analysis has already been published, including at least 10 studies. We will use the novel approach to analyze all included studies in two separate single linear models, one for children/adolescents and one for adults.DiscussionThe novel approach is a valid method to focus on comorbidities. The meta-analysis will yield a comprehensive atlas of the neuroanatomy of all major mental disorders and their comorbidities, which we hope might help develop potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

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