This study investigated the longitudinal neurobiological impact of stressful life events (SLEs) on gray matter volume (GMV) in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients and healthy controls (HCs), considering the moderating role of childhood maltreatment (CM). 754 participants (362 MDD, 392 HCs) underwent MRI scans at baseline and after 2 years. HCs showed GMV reductions in the middle frontal, precentral, and postcentral gyri in response to SLEs, while MDD patients did not. However, MDD patients with at least one depressive episode during the 2-year period showed GMV increases in these areas, particularly with increased SLEs and CM. Findings suggest distinct GMV responses to SLEs, with potential adaptive reductions in HCs and maladaptive increases in MDD patients with CM and recent episodes.

Florian Thomas-Odenthal, Kai Ringwald, Lea Teutenberg, Frederike Stein, Nina Alexander, Linda M. Bonnekoh, Katharina Brosch, Katharina Dohm, Kira Flinkenflügel, Dominik Grotegerd, Tim Hahn, Andreas Jansen, Elisabeth J. Leehr, Susanne Meinert, Julia-Katharina Pfarr, Harald Renz, Navid Schürmeyer, Thomas Stief, Benjamin Straube, Katharina Thiel, Paula Usemann, Alexandra Winter, Axel Krug, Igor Nenadić, Udo Dannlowski, Tilo Kircher