Changed Hub and Corresponding Functional Connectivity of Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Major Depressive Disorder.

Huawang Wu,Yan Wu,Shenglin She,Hongjun Peng,Xiaobing Lu,Jianwei Huang,Jing Xiao,Jinping Xu,Wenjin Zou,Guimao Huang,Yuping Ning,Tianzi Jiang,Chao Wang,Hui Sun,Jiaojian Wang

doi:10.3389/fnana.2016.00120

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. In the brain, the hubs of the brain network play a key role in integrating and transferring information between different functional modules. However, whether the changed pattern in functional network hubs contributes to the onset of MDD remains unclear. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and graph theory methods, we investigated whether alterations of hubs can be detected in MDD. First, we constructed the whole-brain voxel-wise functional networks and calculated a functional connectivity strength (FCS) map in each subject in 34 MDD patients and 34 gender-, age- and education level-matched healthy controls (HCs). Next, the two-sample t-test was applied to compare the FCS maps between HC and MDD patients and identified significant decrease of FCS in subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) in MDD patients. Subsequent functional connectivity analyses of sgACC showed disruptions in functional connectivity with posterior insula, middle and inferior temporal gyrus, lingual gyrus and cerebellum in MDD patients. Furthermore, the changed FCS of sgACC and functional connections to sgACC were significantly correlated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores in MDD patients. The results of the present study revealed the abnormal hub of sgACC and its corresponding disrupted frontal-limbic-visual cognitive-cerebellum functional networks in MDD. These findings may provide a new insight for the diagnosis and treatment of MDD.

Highlights

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by affective, cognitive and vegetative symptoms
In the present study, using hub analyses method, we directly demonstrated that the abnormality of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is the core of MDD-related brain networks
These findings indicated that the dysregulation of sgACC in the visual cognition network, cerebellum and middle temporal gyrus was closely associated with symptoms of MDD

Summary

Introduction

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by affective, cognitive and vegetative symptoms. MDD has become one of the worldwide leading causes of disability and societal and familial burdens (Mathers and Loncar, 2006). The primary features of MDD are persistent, pervasive feelings of sadness, guilt and worthlessness. Patients with MDD showed an enhanced attention to, and memory for, negative emotional stimuli in MDD (Wenzlaff et al, 1988; Mogg et al, 1995; Fales et al, 2008).

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Discussion

Conclusion