The resting-state cerebral metabolic rates for glucose of 10 severely
depressed patients (seven bipolar and three unipolar) were compared, before
and after treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, to those of 10 control
subjects of similar age by means of positron emission tomography and the
fluorodeoxyglucose method. Significant left-right prefrontal asymmetry was
present in the patients before but not after successful treatment,
suggesting that medication can reduce this asymmetry. Also, significant
hypofrontality and whole-cortex hypometabolism were found in the patients
in the depressed state and persisted in the treated state, despite clinical
improvement, suggesting that these abnormalities are not state
dependent.Abstract Teaser