Identification of Statin’s Action in a Small Cohort of Patients with Major Depression

Statins are widely used as an effective therapy for ischemic vascular disorders and employed primary secondary prevention in cardiac cerebrovascular diseases. Their hemostatic mechanism has also been shown to induce changes cerebral blood flow that may result neurocognitive improvement subjects with Major Depressive Disorder. Behavioral data, various tests, resting-state brain perfusion data were obtained at the start of this study three months post-therapy from a small cohort participants diagnosed Subjects received either rosuvastatin (10 mg) or placebo their standard selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors therapy. At end study, patients using reported more positive mood than users. However, statistical tests revealed no significant differences any non-behavioral variables before after study. In contrast, feature selection techniques allowed identifying set be affected by statin use contribute improvement. Classification models built assess distinguishability between two groups showed accuracy higher 85% only five selected features: peripheral platelet activation markers, abnormality left inferior temporal gyrus, Attention Switching Task Reaction latency, serum phosphorus levels. Thus, machine learning tools, we could identify factors causing self-reported due use, possibly suggesting regulatory role statins pathogenesis clinical depression.