Study on regional homogeneity and low frequency amplitude of brain resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with depression

Abstract

Objective To explore the abnormally functional brain regions of female patients with depression by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI), and analyze the correlation with the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods 32 female patients diagnosed with depressive disorder and 40 matched healthy controls completed resting state fMRI scans. The whole brain’s regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF) were calculated, and the correlation analysis between ReHo and ALFF of brain regions with significant difference and the severity of depressive symptoms was conducted. Results Compared with control group, the left precuneus/left cuneus(MNI: -18, -81, 45), bilateral precentral gyrus(MNI: -58, -5, 35 and 57, -6, 33), left inferior parietal lobule(MNI: -42, -36, 45) and right inferior temporal gyrus(MNI: 60, -45, -18)(P<0.05, corrected by AlphaSim)in the case group showed significantly decreased ReHo, with statistical significance. Compared with control group, the left cuneus(MNI: -3, -87, 30), right inferior temporal gyrus(MNI: 60, -48, -18) and left precentral gyrus(MNI: -63, -3, 26)(P<0.05, corrected by AlphasSim)in the case group showed significantly decreased ALFF. The ReHo in the right inferior temporal gyrus was negative correlated with the HAMD-17 total score and retardation factor(r=-0.484, P=0.017; r=-0.408, P=0.048), the ALFF in the right inferior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with weight factor(r=0.574, P=0.003), and negative correlated with the number of depressive episodes(r=-0.416, P=0.043). Conclusion Female with depression in resting state have several abnormally functional brain regions and the extent of damage is correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms.Combination of the two parameters may yield a more comprehensive pathophy-siological mechanism for depressive disorder. Key words: Depressive disorder; Gender; Resting-state function magnetic resonance imaging; Regional homogeneity; Low frequency amplitude