Table 1 Characteristics of healthy controls and major depressive disorder patients at baseline

N

14

6

8

10

11

Age, median (Q1-Q3), y

70.5 (61.3–73.0)

63.0 (58.0–71.8)

70.0 (63.5–74.3)

65.5 (56.8–69.5)

69.0 (66.0–75.5)

0.385^a

Sex, M:F

2:12

1:5

1:7

3:7

2:9

0.797^b

HAM-D score, median (Q1-Q3)

17.5 (16.3–19.0)

20(17.8–20.8)

20 (17.5–21.3)

22.5 (19.0–23.8)

–

0.262^a

Duration of current episode, median (Q1-Q3), wks

2.0 (1.3–8.8)

3.0 (2.3–9.8)

7.0 (2.8–13.3)

3.5 (2.0–5.0)

–

0.312^a

Antidepressant used, n (range of dose, mg/kg)

0.521^c

Escitalopram

11 (0.2–0.4)

6 (0.2–0.4)

–

–

–

0.794^d

Paroxetine

2 (0.4)

0

–

–

–

Sertraline

1 (1.5)

0

–

–

–

Mirtazapine

–

–

8 (0.4–0.8)

10 (0.3–1.0)

–

0.253^d