Hippocampal volume and parahippocampal cingulum alterations are associated with avoidant attachment in patients with depression

• Patients with depression have higher attachment avoidance and anxiety Depression severity correlates the extent of avoidant anxious High is linked to smaller hippocampi parahippocampal cingulum alterations Results suggest a role hippocampal network for Insecure style (anxious avoidant) predisposes development has been in healthy individuals. However, it unclear if there are hippocampus (PHC) patients depression. Forty-eight major depressive disorder 18 controls underwent MP2RAGE diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Attachment characteristics were assessed revised adult scale. classified into subgroups low (anxious: n = 27; avoidant: 21) high 20; 28) characteristics. Bilateral PHC reconstructed using manual tractography. Hippocampal volumes, mean fractional anisotropy diffusivity (MD) bilateral compared between controls. had scores attachment, which associated severity. decreases volumes comparison avoidance. Furthermore, increased MD Assessment may be influenced by cognitive biases due symptoms volume reductions impaired PHC-microstructure.