Effects of Developmental Age and Length of Illness in Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies

Primary studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have identified abnormal neural activation in adults and youth diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to healthy controls. However, these studies have reported some inconsistencies in neural activation between these age groups. In addition, it is not known whether these neural abnormalities between adults and youth with MDD are attributable to the effects of developmental age or length of illness.