Effects of Childhood Adversity on the Volumes of the Amygdala Subnuclei and Hippocampal Subfields in Major Depressive Disorder: High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Abstract

Reductions in total hippocampus volume have frequently been reported in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies in major depressive disorder (MDD), while total amygdala volume differences have been inconsistent. Childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for MDD in adulthood and may affect hippocampus and amygdala volumes. Here we compared the volumes of amygdala subnuclei and hippocampal subfields in MDD and controls and examined their relationship with childhood maltreatment.