Table 1.
Characteristics of Control and MDD Subjects used for GFAP morphometry.
| Parameter | Controls (n=8) | MDD (n=8) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) (range) | 57±7 (27 – 80) | 58±7 (34 – 82) |
| Gender (F:M) | 3:5 | 4:4 |
| PMI (hrs) (range) | 22±2 (15 – 29) | 24±3 (12 – 44) |
| Tissue pH (range) | 6.7±0.1 (6.3 – 7.1) | 6.5±0.1 (6.1 – 6.9) |
| TF (months) (range) | 104±11 (38 – 131) | 102±16 (24– 141) |
| Cause of death | Cardiovascular disease n=7; hemorrhagic pancreatitis n=1 | Suicide n=6 (CO poisoning n=2; hanging n=2; drowning n=1; fall from height n=1) Natural causes n=2 (cardiovascular disease) |
| Duration of MDD (years) (range) | not applicable | 15±3 (0.2 – 62) |
| Antidepressant or psychotropic drugs present postmortem | none | none |
Data represent the mean ± S.E.M. AD – antidepressant; CO - carbon monoxide; MDD - major depressive disorder; PMI - Postmortem interval; TF - Time in formalin. The mean age (t=0.117, df=14, p=0.91), PMI (t=0.438, df=14, p=0.67), brain tissue pH (t=1.575, df=14, p=0.14), and TF (t=0.092, df=14, p=0.93) of subjects with MDD were not statistically different from the control subjects.