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FIGURE 1.

Correlation between brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and anterior cingulate cortex thickness in youth with BD. BDNF values were transformed using logarithmic transformation. The positive correlation between both variables remained significant (r=0.49 p=0.023) after adjusted for age at onset and socioeconomic status using partial correlation. (Note ACC=anterior cingulate cortex, BDNF=brain-derived neurotrophic factor).
Correlation between brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and anterior cingulate cortex thickness in youth with BD. BDNF values were transformed using logarithmic transformation. The positive correlation between both variables remained significant (r=0.49 p=0.023) after adjusted for age at onset and socioeconomic status using partial correlation. (Note ACC=anterior cingulate cortex, BDNF=brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

Demographics and clinical characteristics of study participants

Characteristics of study participants Patients with BD n=23 Healthy controls n=17 Statistics p
Sex, female, n (%) 13 (56.5) 8 (47.1) Χ2=0.4 0.554
Age at the time of interview, years, mean ± SD 16.3 ± 1.4 16.2 ± 1.0 t=0.1 0.948
Socioeconomic status, n (%) Χ2=1.8 0.413
 High 2 (8.7) 1 (5.9)
 Average 16 (69.6) 9 (52.9)
 Low 5 (21.7) 7 (41.2)
Family history of psychiatric disorders, n (%)
 First-degree relative with a psychiatric disorder 11 (47.8) - - -
 A second-degree relative with a psychiatric disorder 13 (56.5) - - -
 First or second-degree relative with a psychiatric disorder 18 (78.3) - - -
Illness characteristics
 Age at onset, years, mean ± SD 14.3 ± 2.1 - - -
 Duration of BD, years, mean ± SD 2.3 ± 1.4 - - -
 Duration of medication treatment, years, mean ± SD 2.0 ± 1.3 - - -
 The number of mood episodes, mean ± SD 3.3 ± 2.0 - - -
 Total YMRS score, mean ± SD a 3.2 ± 1.9 - - -
 Total HAM-D score, mean ± SD a 2.5 ± 1.5 - - -
Medications, n (%)
 Antipsychotics 18 (78.3) - - -
 Aripiprazole 7 (30.4) - - -
 Risperidone 6 (26.1) - - -
 Quetiapine 4 (17.4) - - -
 Olanzapine 1 (4.3) - - -
 Mood stabilizers 20 (87.0) - - -
 Lithium 8 (34.8) - - -
 Valproate 11 (47.8) - - -
 Carbamazepine 2 (8.7) - - -
 Lamotrigine 2 (8.7) - - -
Blood medication levels, mmol/L
 Lithium, mean ± SD 0.78 ± 0.27 - - -
 Valproate, mean ± SD 78.6 ± 17.4 - - -
Blood neurotrophic factor levels
 BDNF, pg/ml, median (IQR) 1353 (1021-2797) 2227 (1205-3369) Z=1.4 b 0.171

Measured cortical thickness of various brain regions differed between study groups for youth with BD and healthy controls.

Brain Regions Patients with BD n=23 Healthy controls n=17 t value p Cohen’s d
Cortical thickness, millimeter, mean ± SD
The caudal part of L middle frontal gyrus 2.64 ± 0.18 2.81 ± 0.23 -2.5 0.017 0.80
The caudal part of R middle frontal gyrus 2.60 ± 0.22 2.71 ± 0.26 -1.4 0.166 -
L inferior parietal gyrus 2.60 ± 0.17 2.62 ± 0.15 -0.5 0.627 -
R inferior parietal gyrus 2.55 ± 0.16 2.64 ± 0.13 -2.0 0.056 -
L paracentral gyrus 2.30 ± 0.20 2.38 ± 0.18 -1.2 0.219 -
R paracentral gyrus 2.17 ± 0.17 2.31 ± 0.11 -2.9 0.006 0.93
Triangular part of L inferior frontal gyrus 2.83 ± 0.18 2.93 ± 0.18 -1.6 0.112 -
Triangular part of R inferior frontal gyrus 2.75 ± 0.16 2.86 ± 0.16 -2.1 0.041 0.68
L pericalcarine region 1.77 ± 0.13 1.84 ± 0.14 -1.6 0.114 -
R pericalcarine region 1.62 ± 0.10 1.70 ± 0.08 -2.7 0.009 0.88
L precentral gyrus 2.21 ± 0.13 2.30 ± 0.14 -2.2 0.032 0.71
R precentral gyrus 2.16 ± 0.11 2.25 ± 0.14 -2.3 0.024 0.75
L precuneus region 2.52 ± 0.12 2.60 ± 0.17 -1.8 0.084 -
R precuneus region 2.51 ± 0.11 2.59 ± 0.16 -2.0 0.050 -
L superior frontal gyrus 2.94 ± 0.17 3.08 ± 0.19 -2.5 0.018 0.79
R superior frontal gyrus 2.99 ± 0.19 3.15 ± 0.17 -2.6 0.012 0.85
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Medicine, Basic Medical Science, other