Table 1.

Neuroimaging and histopathological abnormalities evident in the visceromotor network (Ongür et al. 2003) in early-onset, recurrent major depressive disorder and/or bipolar disorder

Brain region	Gray matter volume	Cell counts, cell markers	Glucose metabolism, CBF
	Dep versus Con	Dep versus Con	Dep versus Con	Dep versus Rem
Dorsal medial/anterolateral PFC (BA9)	↓	↓	↓	↓
Frontal polar C (BA 10)		↓	↓	↓
Subgenual anterior cingulate C	↓	↓	↓/↓a	↓
Pregenual anterior cingulate C	↓	↓	↓	↓
Orbital C/ventrolateral PFC	↓	↓	↓	↓
Posterior cingulate	↓		↓	↓
Parahippocampal C	↓	↓ BD	↓	↓
Amygdala	↓/↑b	↓ MDD	↓	↓
Ventromedial striatum	↓		↓	↓
Hippocampus	↓	↓ BD	n.s.	n.s.
Superior temporal G/temporopolar C	↓			↓
Medial thalamus			↓	↓

^aIn the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex the apparent reduction in CBF and metabolism in PET images of depressed subjects is thought to be accounted for by the reduction in tissue volume in the corresponding cortex, as after partial volume correction for the reduction in gray matter the metabolism appears increased relative to controls

^bThe literature is in disagreement with respect to the amygdala volume in mood disorders. In MDD, the volume appears reduced in cases whose MDE show a chronic or intermit course

C cortex, Dep versus Con unmedicated depressives versus healthy controls, Dep versus Rem unmedicated depressives versus themselves in either the medicated or unmedicated remitted phases, G gyrus, n.s. differences generally not significant, PFC prefrontal cortex

Empty cells indicate insufficient data. Modified from (Drevets 2007)