STRUCTURAL MAPPING BY DIFFUSIONAL TENSORS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE (DTI) UNDER ULTRA HIGH FIELD (7T) IN DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN UNIPOLAR AND BIPOLAR DEPRESSION IN YOUNG WOMEN

• Grant number: 23/18332-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Radiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Concepción García Otaduy
• Grantee: Rafaella Borel da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Radiologia (INRAD). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the scope of mood, the clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder, in those who have not yet presented episodes of hypomania or mania, becomes difficult as it presents some similarities with unipolar depression.Therefore, this research seeks to use the DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) technique by magnetic resonance imaging as a potential additional assessment tool in differentiating between unipolar depression (UD) and bipolar disorder (BD) during the depressive phase in female patients. This project, as far as we know, intends to be the first with such a goal to be carried out on a 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging device and on the Brazilian population.For the analysis, the Anisotropic Fraction (AF) of the patients' entire white matter will be studied, seeking significant changes that distinguish each pathology.A group of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n=15) will be compared with a group diagnosed with unipolar depression (n=15). The patients will not be taking medication for at least 2 weeks before the acquisition of the images and will come from the DU and TB outpatient clinics of the Affective Disorders Program of the Institute of Psychiatry of the Hospital da Clínicas of FMUSP. The results will also be compared to a control group of 15 women.