Abstract
BackgroundAnterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and striatum are part of the emotional neural circuitry implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD). Music is often used for emotion regulation, and pleasurable music listening activates the dopaminergic system in the brain, including the ACC. The present study uses functional MRI (fMRI) and an emotional nonmusical and musical stimuli paradigm to examine how neural processing of emotionally provocative auditory stimuli is altered within the ACC and striatum in depression.MethodNineteen MDD and 20 never-depressed (ND) control participants listened to standardized positive and negative emotional musical and nonmusical stimuli during fMRI scanning and gave subjective ratings of valence and arousal following scanning.ResultsND participants exhibited greater activation to positive versus negative stimuli in ventral ACC. When compared with ND participants, MDD participants showed a different pattern of activation in ACC. In the rostral part of the ACC, ND participants showed greater activation for positive information, while MDD participants showed greater activation to negative information. In dorsal ACC, the pattern of activation distinguished between the types of stimuli, with ND participants showing greater activation to music compared to nonmusical stimuli, while MDD participants showed greater activation to nonmusical stimuli, with the greatest response to negative nonmusical stimuli. No group differences were found in striatum.ConclusionsThese results suggest that people with depression may process emotional auditory stimuli differently based on both the type of stimulation and the emotional content of that stimulation. This raises the possibility that music may be useful in retraining ACC function, potentially leading to more effective and targeted treatments.
Highlights
Emotion regulation is a critical skill for emotional health and well-being [1]
ND participants exhibited greater activation to positive versus negative stimuli in ventral Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
When compared with ND participants, major depressive disorder (MDD) participants showed a different pattern of activation in ACC
Summary
Emotion regulation is a critical skill for emotional health and well-being [1]. Music is a powerful inducer of emotion, and people often report using music as a tool for regulating their emotional state [2,3,4]. A European survey of public advice for the best self-help measures for dealing with depression placed listening to music near the top of the list, with 69% of respondents agreeing that they would recommend this as a useful self-help method. In this survey, 82% of respondents with depression who were already in treatment agreed that music was helpful in this regard [4]. The present study uses functional MRI (fMRI) and an emotional nonmusical and musical stimuli paradigm to examine how neural processing of emotionally provocative auditory stimuli is altered within the ACC and striatum in depression
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