Amplitude of low frequency fluctuation in female depression patients: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Abstract

Objective To explore energy feature of the spontaneous neural activity in young female depressive patients, and its correlation to the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods Fourteen female depressive patients and 18 healthy controls were scanned with 3.0 T MRI scanner. The difference with amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between both groups was compared with the t-test, and the correlation analysis between ALFF of brain regions with significant difference and the severity of depressive symptoms was conducted. Results Compared with healthy group, the depression group showed significantly increased ALFF in the right cerebellum anterior lobe (Montreal Neurological Institute(MNI) coordinates (x,y,z):39, -54, -36; k=20; t=3.678，P<0.05), and decreased ALFF in the left posterior cingulate (MNI coordinates (x,y,z):-6, -45, 15; k=18) and the left superior parietal lobule (MNI coordinates (x,y,z): -21, -78, 48; k=20；t=-3.967,-3.669; both P<0.05; corrected by Alphasim). The ALFF in the right cerebellum anterior lobe was positively correlated to the number of depressive episodes (r=0.607, P=0.021), and negatively correlated to the HAMD17 total score and cognitive disturbance score (r=-0.595，P=0.025; r=-0.542，P=0.045, respectively). Conclusion Abnormal brain activity could emerge in female depressive patients during resting-state, the level of ALFF may be associated with severity of depressive symptoms and cognitive disturbance. Key words: Depression; Magnetic resonance imaging; Amplitude of low frequency fluctuation