Increased functional connectivity between brainstem substructures and cortex in treatment resistant depression

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q3 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging Pub Date : 2025-01-27 DOI:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.111957

Anastasia Gaspert , Rasmus Schülke , Zeinab Houjaije , Tabea Bätge , Christopher Sinke , Nima Mahmoudi , Thorsten Folsche , Alborz Bastami , Alexandra Neyazi , Mike P. Wattjes , Tillmann H.C. Krüger , Stefan Bleich , Helge Frieling , Hannah Benedictine Maier

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies showed an abnormal brainstem-to-cortex functional connectivity (FC) in major depressive disorder. However, only few studies analyzed brainstem substructures in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

In this study, we analyzed resting-state seed-based FC between midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata and cortical/subcortical brain regions in patients with TRD (n = 24) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 24). FC was analyzed in each group and compared between groups. Correlation analyses assessed the relationship between FC strength and depressive symptom severity in regions showing significant group differences in seed-based connectivity.

Our findings reveal an increased FC in the midbrain and pons to the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and temporal gyrus in patients with TRD compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, in TRD patients, FC between midbrain and cortex was negatively correlated with BDI-II scores, indicating a relationship between altered connectivity and self-reported depression severity.

It is essential to note that our naturalistic, cross-sectional approach precludes causal conclusions regarding the relationship between FC and pathophysiology of TRD. The small sample size necessitates confirmation in a larger cohort.

Midbrain/pons-to-cortex FC was increased in patients with TRD compared to healthy controls. Future studies should explore the relationship between abnormal brainstem-to-cortex FC and depressive symptomatology in more detail.

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来源期刊

Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

3.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

22.5 weeks

期刊介绍： The Neuroimaging section of Psychiatry Research publishes manuscripts on positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, computerized electroencephalographic topography, regional cerebral blood flow, computed tomography, magnetoencephalography, autoradiography, post-mortem regional analyses, and other imaging techniques. Reports concerning results in psychiatric disorders, dementias, and the effects of behaviorial tasks and pharmacological treatments are featured. We also invite manuscripts on the methods of obtaining images and computer processing of the images themselves. Selected case reports are also published.