Dongmei Wu1,2,3, Taolin Chen4,5,6,3, Xiaoqi Huang4,5, Lizhou Chen4,5, Yuchuan Yue2, Hao Yang7, Xiuying Hu8, Qiyong Gong4,5,6. 1. West China School of Nursing, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 2. The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. 3. These authors contributed equally to this work and share joint first authorship. 4. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 5. Psychoradiology Research Unit of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 6. Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 7. School of Computer Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, and School of Information and Software Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. 8. Innovation Center of Nursing Research, West China School of Medicine / West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although evidence shows that reminiscence therapy relieves depression in the elderly, few studies have explored its mechanisms and it is unclear whether old public photos rather than personal photos are effective prompts. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with an event-related design were to explore whether old public photos can evoke autobiographical memories and compare brain-activation responses to photos between elderly women with depressive symptoms (DS) and normal controls (NC). METHODS: Elderly women with DS (n = 16) and NC (n = 18) were recruited from urban communities in Southwest China. Participants responded with a key press to indicate which of 40 photos evoked autobiographical memories at first sight during 3.0 T scanning. Afterward, they rated photos on a 9-point Likert-type scale on the degrees of recall (DOR), arousal, and pleasure elicited and the degree to which photos felt old. RESULTS: Mean DOR scores were 8.47 ± 0.77 and 1.37 ± 1.09 for high- and low-DOR photos, respectively. Response time was longer in DS compared to NC participants. Brain areas activated by exposure to high-DOR photos differed between groups, with reminiscence leading to decreased activation of the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, left cingulate gyrus, right insular lobe, and bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe in DS compared to NC participants. CONCLUSION: Old public photos can evoke autobiographical memory. DS are associated with brain dysfunction. Early intervention for DS is recommended in the elderly.
BACKGROUND: Although evidence shows that reminiscence therapy relieves depression in the elderly, few studies have explored its mechanisms and it is unclear whether old public photos rather than personal photos are effective prompts. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with an event-related design were to explore whether old public photos can evoke autobiographical memories and compare brain-activation responses to photos between elderly women with depressive symptoms (DS) and normal controls (NC). METHODS: Elderly women with DS (n = 16) and NC (n = 18) were recruited from urban communities in Southwest China. Participants responded with a key press to indicate which of 40 photos evoked autobiographical memories at first sight during 3.0 T scanning. Afterward, they rated photos on a 9-point Likert-type scale on the degrees of recall (DOR), arousal, and pleasure elicited and the degree to which photos felt old. RESULTS: Mean DOR scores were 8.47 ± 0.77 and 1.37 ± 1.09 for high- and low-DOR photos, respectively. Response time was longer in DS compared to NC participants. Brain areas activated by exposure to high-DOR photos differed between groups, with reminiscence leading to decreased activation of the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, left cingulate gyrus, right insular lobe, and bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe in DS compared to NC participants. CONCLUSION: Old public photos can evoke autobiographical memory. DS are associated with brain dysfunction. Early intervention for DS is recommended in the elderly.