Neurochemical, Metabonomics and Neuroimaging Characterization of TCM Diagnostic Subtypes of Major Depression Disorder

Summary

There is heterogeneity in patients with depression. Many scholars propose that individualization of antidepressant achieves better outcomes. However, the scientific theoretical basis of individualized treatment is still quite weak. Different clinical subtypes of depression and their possible biomarkers are critically needed to provide the individualization with theoretical base. Diagnostic types of major depression disorder (MDD) based on the Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and possible differentiations in neurobiochemistry, metabonomics and neuroimaging could be one of ways to explore the biomarkers and support the theory of the individualized treatment. The hypothesized results will be of help to clarify the biological basis of MDD with LDQS and with DBHS, to provide the TCM with further scientific evidence, to explore the pathogenesis of depression, to improve the objective diagnosis of depression, and to promote targeted interventions by Western medicine, TCM or both.

Timeline

Start

2015-02

Primary completion

2017-06

Completion

2017-12

Publications

• Liu LY, Xu XP, Luo LY, Zhu CQ, Li YP, Wang PR, Zhang YY, Yang CY, Hou HT, Cao YL, Wang G, Hui ES, Zhang ZJ. Brain connectomic associations with traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic classification of major depressive disorder: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Chin Med. 2019 Apr 11;14:15. doi: 10.1186/s13020-019-0239-8. eCollection 2019.
• Liu LY, Zhang HJ, Luo LY, Pu JB, Liang WQ, Zhu CQ, Li YP, Wang PR, Zhang YY, Yang CY, Zhang ZJ. Blood and urinary metabolomic evidence validating traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic classification of major depressive disorder. Chin Med. 2018 Oct 25;13:53. doi: 10.1186/s13020-018-0211-z. eCollection 2018.

Drugs

Indications