Brain age in mood and psychotic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

First published: September 12, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13371

Commentary

This study was conducted to assess whether accelerated brain aging occurs in individuals with mood and psychotic disorders.

A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, and a meta-analysis was also performed to assess neuroimaging-derived brain age gaps in three independent groups (1) schizophrenia and first episode psychosis, (2) major depressive disorder, and (3) bipolar disorder).

A total of 18 articles were included, and a meta-analysis of the variational effects model showed a significant increase in the neuroimage-derived brain age gap compared to age-matched controls for the three major mental disorders, with schizophrenia (3.08; 95% CI [2.32; 3.85]; p <0.01).

The brain age gap was larger in older than in younger individuals.

These conclude that individuals with mood and psychotic disorders may experience an accelerated brain aging process, which is reflected in the patterns captured by the neuroimaging data.

And age differences in the brain tend to be more pronounced in older individuals, indicating the possibility of cumulative biological effects of the disease burden.