Mood Disorders and the Hippocampus

It was found that patients who developed mood disorder following traumatic brain injury have significantly lower hippocampal volume than patients without mood disturbance. Reduced hippocampus volumes were associated with poor vocational outcome in one year follow-up. The findings are consistent with the “double-hit” mechanism by which neural and glial elements affected by trauma are further damaged by the neuro-toxic effects of increased cortisol found in association with mood disorders. The need for volumetric studies of the hippocampus following moderate to severe brain injuries is becoming more and more important.