Decreased regional homogeneity in insula and cerebellum: A resting-state fMRI study in patients with major depression and subjects at high risk for major depression

Liu, Zhifen; Xu, Cheng; Xu, Yong; Wang, Yanfang; Zhao, Bing; Lv, Yating; Cao, Xiaohua; Zhang, Kerang; Du, Chongxi

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.03.004

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 182, Issue 3 , Pages 211-215, 30 June 2010

Decreased regional homogeneity in insula and cerebellum: A resting-state fMRI study in patients with major depression and subjects at high risk for major depression

Zhifen Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Cheng Xu
- Department of Radiology, Shanxi Provincial Hospital, Taiyuan, 030012, PR China
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Yong Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
Yanfang Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
Bing Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
Yating Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, 100875, PR China
Xiaohua Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
Kerang Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, 030001, PR China
- Corresponding authors. Zhang is to be contacted at Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, PR China. Tel.: +86 351 4639869; fax: +86 351 4639956. Du, Department of Radiology, Shanxi Provincial Hospital, Taiyuan, 030012, PR China. Tel.: +86 13934115391; fax: +86 351 8330265.
Chongxi Du
- Department of Radiology, Shanxi Provincial Hospital, Taiyuan, 030012, PR China
- Corresponding authors. Zhang is to be contacted at Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, PR China. Tel.: +86 351 4639869; fax: +86 351 4639956. Du, Department of Radiology, Shanxi Provincial Hospital, Taiyuan, 030012, PR China. Tel.: +86 13934115391; fax: +86 351 8330265.

Received 10 August 2008; received in revised form 17 February 2010; accepted 11 March 2010.

Abstract

Functional disconnectivity during the resting state has been observed in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD), and in subjects at high genetic risk for major depression during task performance. It is hypothesized that functional impairments in certain brain areas are present in patients with MDD and in their first-degree relatives. To test this hypothesis, an analysis of regional homogeneity (ReHo) of the whole brain was performed on 45 subjects. Compared with the control group, subjects with MDD and those at high risk for MDD exhibited significantly decreased ReHo in the right insula and in the left cerebellum. These abnormalities may play an important role in the pathophysiology of depression.

Keywords: Major depressive disorder, First-degree relative, Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Resting state