Abstract
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a functional neuroimaging modality that has advantages in clinical usage. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have found that the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the default mode network (DMN) is increased, while the RSFC of the cognitive control network (CCN) is reduced in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) compared with healthy controls. This study tested whether the NIRS-based RSFC measurements can detect the abnormalities in RSFC that have been associated with MDD in previous fMRI studies. We measured 8 min of resting-state brain activity in 34 individuals with MDD and 78 age- and gender-matched healthy controls using a whole-head NIRS system. We applied a previously established partial correlation analysis for estimating RSFCs between the 17 cortical regions. We found that MDD patients had a lower RSFC between the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the parietal lobe that comprise the CCN, and a higher RSFC between the right orbitofrontal cortex and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, compared to those in healthy controls. The RSFC strength of the left CCN was negatively correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms and the dose of antipsychotic medication and positively correlated with the level of social functioning. The results of this study suggest that NIRS-based measurements of RSFCs have potential clinical applications.
Highlights
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive and convenient neuroimaging technique that measures changes in the cortical blood oxygenation associated with neural activity
The results of this study suggest that psychotropic medications have substantial effects on resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and different kinds of psychotropics have different influences
The resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was positively correlated with the 17-item Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD), Center for Epidemiologic Studies depression scale (CESD), and antipsychotic dose and negatively correlated with global assessment of functioning (GAF)
Summary
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive and convenient neuroimaging technique that measures changes in the cortical blood oxygenation associated with neural activity. This has been widely used to study the cerebral function of various neuropsychiatric disorders [1]. A meta-analysis of 14 studies found a significant reduction in the executive task-related elevation of blood oxygenation in individuals with MDD, even after their depressive. Since the discovery of synchronous neural oscillatory activity between functionally-related brain regions, there has been a surge of research on resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) [4]. RSFC may provide clues on the mechanisms of functional integration in the brain and the neural substrate of neuropsychiatric disorders [5, 6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
