Shared and distinctive changes of the white matter in generalized anxiety disorder with or without depressive disorder

Motivation: The exact profile of white matter (WM) microstructure abnormalities in GAD with and without comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) remain unclear. Goal(s): In this study, we aim to investigate the WM tract integrity in patients with GAD with or without MDD using the TRACULA. Approach: We used the TRACULA to generate 42 fibers. We compared parameters of each fiber between groups and examined the relationship between metrics and clinical symptoms. Results: Compared to HCs, we find both pure GAD and GAD comorbid with MDD (GAD-MDD) exhibited alteration in SLF, only GAD-MDD showed alteration in the subregion of the corpus callosum. Impact: This study identified shared and distinctive changes in GAD patients with or without MDD groups. Current study gave a comprehensive characterization of white matter abnormalities among these patients, and highlight TRACULA's value in identifying critical white matter changes.