Resting-state mapping of neural signatures of vulnerability to depression relapse

Chun-Hong Liu; Li-Rong Tang; Yue Gao; Guang-Zhong Zhang; Bin Li; Meng Li; Marie Woelfer; Walter Martin; Lihong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.022

Resting-state mapping of neural signatures of vulnerability to depression relapse

J Affect Disord. 2019 May 1:250:371-379. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.022. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Authors

Chun-Hong Liu¹, Li-Rong Tang², Yue Gao², Guang-Zhong Zhang³, Bin Li⁴, Meng Li⁵, Marie Woelfer⁶, Walter Martin⁷, Lihong Wang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, China; Department of Radiology and Psychiatry, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: chunhongliu11@163.com.
² Department of Radiology and Psychiatry, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
³ Dermatological Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100010, China.
⁴ Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100010, China.
⁵ Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
⁶ Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.
⁷ Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory (CANLAB), Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, University of Tuebingen, Tubeingen, Germany.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.

PMID: 30877860
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.022

Abstract

Background: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) can frequently develop new depressive episodes after remission. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the increased risk for depressive relapse remain unclear. Herein, we aimed to explore whether the specific changes to regional and inter-regional spontaneous brain activities within DMN are associated with the course of episodes in pooled MDD patients.

Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on patients with single-episode MDD (SEMDD, n = 30) and multiple-episode MDD (MEMDD, n = 54), and 71 age-, gender-, and educational level-matched healthy controls (HCs). We then accessed the differences in both the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and functional connectivity by using the right precuneus as the seed among different groups.

Results: Compared to the MEMDD and HC groups, the SEMDD group exhibited increased fALFF values in the right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and right middle temporal gyrus. Decreased fALFF values in the right thalamus in the MEMDD group were also identified relative to the SEMDD and HC group. The peak values of fALFF in the right precuneus showed a negative correlation with the number of depressive episodes across the entire pool of MDD patients. No correlation was identified between functional connectivity using the right precuneus as the seed and the number of depressive episodes for the pooled MDD patients.

Limitations: Medication, a relatively small sample size, and hypothesis driven study.

Conclusions: Our neuroimaging results identified depression relapse-associated neural signatures and also indicated the role of reduced emotional appraisals in the thalamus. It is now possible to believe that the regional activity not inter-regional connectivity within the DMN may be involved in the pathology of depression relapse.

Keywords: Functional connectivity; Low-frequency oscillations; Major depressive episode; Number of depressive episodes; Resting-state.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Brain / physiopathology*
Brain Mapping / methods*
Depressive Disorder, Major / physiopathology*
Female
Gyrus Cinguli / physiopathology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Parietal Lobe / physiopathology
Recurrence
Rest*
Temporal Lobe / physiopathology
Young Adult