Tracy L Hellem
University of Utah’s College of Nursing, USA
Title: What does the hamilton depression rating scale measure in methamphetamine users
Biography
Biography: Tracy L Hellem
Abstract
Main outcome measures: Psychiatric assessments included screening with self-rating questionnaires and face-to-face
interviews. All of the participants completed a detailed cognitive battery that covered general intelligence, verbal and visual
memory, executive functions, motor speed and language. All of the participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging of
the brain.
Results: Many of the participants in the ketamine group also frequently used cocaine and cannabis. Among the ketamine
users, 12.6% were diagnosed with a mood disorder and 8.9% with an anxiety disorder. Th e participants in the ketamine group
had worse performance than the healthy controls on tests of general intelligence, verbal, visual and working memory and
executive functioning.
In terms of grey matter volumes, the right orbitofrontal cortex, right medial prefrontal cortex, left and right hippocampus
and possibly the left orbitofrontal cortex were smaller in the ketamine group. In contrast, the volumes of the left basal ganglia,
left putamen and possibly the left caudate were higher in the ketamine group. In terms of white matter volumes, the ketamine
group had a lower periventricular white matter volume in the right hemisphere. Th e grey matter volumes of the left and right
orbitofrontal cortex, right medial prefrontal cortex, left basal ganglia and left putamen, and right periventricular white matter
volume were negatively correlated with the severity of ketamine dependence. Th e hippocampal volumes were correlated with
performance on the arithmetic, information and digit span tests. Th e periventricular white matter volume also correlated with
the information score.
A functional connectivity examination of the default mode network revealed signifi cantly decreased connectivity in the
medial part of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral gyrus rectus, left superior temporal pole,
left inferior temporal gyrus, bilateral angular gyrus and bilateral cerebellum crus II in the ketamine group. Th is group also
displayed increased connectivity in the bilateral precuneus and right inferior occipital gyrus.