Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging in animal models of depression

Abstract

Depression Is a debilitating and potentially fatal disorder for which the pathophysiology underlying the illness is still unknown. Aberrant glutamatergic neurotransmission and altered astrocyte function have recently been implicated as potential physiological markers related to depressive illness. The development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a clinical tool has allowed for the identification of a series of neuroimaging markers in depressed patients. However the physiological processes which underlie these neuroimaging markers and their role in depressive illness is still poorly understood.