Precuneus abnormalities in middle-aged to older adults with depressive symptoms: An analysis of BDI-II symptom dimensions.

We recently reported age-related increases in left precuneus cortical thickness (CT) in older adults with elevated total depressive symptoms. However, it is unclear whether abnormalities in precuneus surface area (SA) are also evident and whether specific symptom dimensions of depression moderated age effects on these measurements. Seventy-three adults completed the Beck Depression Inventory - 2nd edition (BDI-II) and underwent structural neuroimaging. Measures of CT and SA were extracted from the right and left precuneus via FreeSurfer. Regression models included regions of interest as dependent variables, with age, BDI-II subscale scores (e.g., affective, cognitive, and somatic symptoms), and their interactions as independent variables, controlling for mean hemispheric thickness (for CT) or total intracranial volume (for SA). A significant age × somatic symptom interaction was found for left precuneus CT, such that elevated levels of somatic symptoms were significantly associated with age-related cortical thinning. No depressive symptom dimensions moderated the relationship between age and SA, suggesting that CT may be a more sensitive measure of brain abnormalities in middle-aged to older adults with depressive symptoms.