Neural activity in adults with major depressive disorder differs from that in healthy individuals: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Xiaofang Hou, Bohui Mei, Fukun Wang, Hua Guo, Shilong Li, Gang Wu, Chen Zang, Bing Cao
Abstract
Objective: seed-based functional connectivity analyses, this study employed whole-brain exploratory analyses and aimed to explore neural activity patterns in Chinese adults with MDD. Materials and methods: Specifically, this study examined the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations within the whole brain and adopted a large-scale brain network template to explore the core dysfunctional brain regions in individuals with MDD. Results: Overall, 32 individuals with MDD and 32 healthy controls were evaluated. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with MDD showed more profound alterations in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in the temporolimbic affective circuit (e.g., middle temporal gyrus and parahippocampus) and default mode network (e.g., precuneus and thalamus). Moreover, functional connectivity between the left mid-insula and parietal regions within the sensorimotor network was weaker in individuals with MDD than in healthy controls. Conclusion: In conclusion, the neural characteristics of MDD correspond to cognitive deficits in self-referential processing and emotional processing and are related to a risk of sensory disorders or psychomotor retardation. These findings present neural markers that may be used to identify MDD, contributing to clinical diagnosis.