Characteristics and correlation of gray matter volume and somatic symptoms in adolescent patients with depressive disorder

BackgroundAdolescent patients with depressive disorders commonly exhibit somatic symptoms, which have a significant negative impact on their treatment and prognosis. Despite this, specific brain imaging characteristics of these symptoms have been poorly studied.MethodsThe Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD-17), Children’s Functional Somatization scale (CSI), and Toronto Alexithymia scale (TAS) were used to evaluate the clinical symptoms of adolescent depression. We analyzed the correlation between brain gray matter volume (GMV) and clinical symptoms in adolescent patients with depression and somatic symptoms.ResultsThe depression subgroups with and without functional somatic symptoms (FSS) had higher scores on the HAMD-17, CSI, and TAS than the normal control group. The group with FSS had higher HAMD-17, CSI, and TAS scores than the depression group without FSS (p