Shui Tian1, Siqi Zhang1, Zhaoqi Mo1, Mohammad Ridwan Chattun2, Qiang Wang3, Li Wang4, Rongxin Zhu2, Junneng Shao1, Xinyi Wang1, Zhijian Yao5, Tianmei Si6, Qing Lu7. 1. School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Child Development and Learning Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, China. 2. Department of Psychiatry，the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University，Nanjing 210029, China. 3. Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University，Nanjing 210093, China. 4. Peking University Institute of Mental Health & Sixth Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorder & The Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China. 5. Department of Psychiatry，the Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University，Nanjing 210029, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University，Nanjing 210093, China. Electronic address: zjyao@njmu.edu.cn. 6. Peking University Institute of Mental Health & Sixth Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorder & The Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: si.tian-mei@163.com. 7. School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Child Development and Learning Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, China. Electronic address: luq@seu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The fundamental pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) could be characterized by functional brain networks which tightly and dynamically connect into groups as communities, making the flexible brain possible to external multifarious demands. We aim to scrutinize what brain dynamics go awry in MDD and antidepressants effects on multi-dimensional symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-five patients and thirty-five controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients were scanned before and after 8 or 12 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Group independent component analysis decomposed resting-state images to instinct networks and networks' integrated flexibility was calculated. Network flexibility between patients at baseline and after therapy were compared. RESULTS: All patients completed the clinical trial and MRI scans. Following antidepressants treatment, we found significant normalization of reduced network flexibility in default mode network (DMN) and cognitive control network (CCN) of MDD patients. Selectively significant correlations between network flexibility and multi-dimensional symptoms such as anxiety/somatization and hysteresis factor were also found. CONCLUSIONS: "Hypoflexible" CCN may involve in anxiety syndrome. Low flexibility in DMN may be indicative of hysteresis. These suggest an important pathophysiology of depressive manifestation of MDD. The antidepressant-induced normalization of the "hypoflexibility" suggests a selective pathway through which antidepressants may alleviate symptoms in depression.
BACKGROUND: The fundamental pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) could be characterized by functional brain networks which tightly and dynamically connect into groups as communities, making the flexible brain possible to external multifarious demands. We aim to scrutinize what brain dynamics go awry in MDD and antidepressants effects on multi-dimensional symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-five patients and thirty-five controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients were scanned before and after 8 or 12 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Group independent component analysis decomposed resting-state images to instinct networks and networks' integrated flexibility was calculated. Network flexibility between patients at baseline and after therapy were compared. RESULTS: All patients completed the clinical trial and MRI scans. Following antidepressants treatment, we found significant normalization of reduced network flexibility in default mode network (DMN) and cognitive control network (CCN) of MDD patients. Selectively significant correlations between network flexibility and multi-dimensional symptoms such as anxiety/somatization and hysteresis factor were also found. CONCLUSIONS: "Hypoflexible" CCN may involve in anxiety syndrome. Low flexibility in DMN may be indicative of hysteresis. These suggest an important pathophysiology of depressive manifestation of MDD. The antidepressant-induced normalization of the "hypoflexibility" suggests a selective pathway through which antidepressants may alleviate symptoms in depression.
Authors: Jennifer T Sneider; Julia E Cohen-Gilbert; Derek A Hamilton; Anna M Seraikas; Emily N Oot; Eleanor M Schuttenberg; Lisa D Nickerson; Marisa M Silveri Journal: Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging Date: 2020-10-09 Impact factor: 2.376