A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression

Is Dance Closer to Physical Activity or Spirituality? A Philosophical Exploration

Dancing is inevitably associated with kinesthetics of the body, including movements, gestures, poses, jumps, turnings, transferring body weight, etcetera. Thus, dance is a manifestation of an amateur or the skilled behavior of a fully trained athletic performance. At the same time, dance is accompanied by emotions as an effect of expression, narration of choreography. Dance is also pre-planned and designed to produce numerous styles and techniques. It is a unique type of improvisation. However, in certain situations, styles and techniques that will be discussed below, the dancing body can bring the dancer closer to his/her emotionality and even spirituality. Thus, the aim of this philosophical exploration is to analyze the impact of spirituality on dance performance.

The neuroscience of spirituality, religion, and mental health: A systematic review and synthesis

Prior research highlights the importance of spirituality/religion (S/R) as it relates to several aspects of mental health and clinical interventions. This research has been expanded to include the concurrent examination of neurobiological correlates of S/R to elucidate potential biological mechanisms. However, the majority of neurobiological research on S/R has neglected mental health, and the relationship across all three of these domains (S/R, mental health, and neurobiology) remains unclear. This study systematically reviewed research concurrently examining S/R, mental health, and neurobiology, and rated the methodological quality of included studies. Eighteen identified studies were then included in an integrated literature review and discussion, regarding the neurobiological correlates of S/R as it pertains to depression, anxiety, alcohol/substance misuse, and psychosis. The majority of studies demonstrated moderate to high methodological quality. Findings highlight the need for additional studies in this area as well as research that includes validated assessment of S/R.

Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Populations with Familial Risk for Depression: A Narrative Review

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this activity, practitioners will be better able to:• Discuss the association between brain alterations and vulnerability or resilience to MDD in people with familial risk• Define how structural and functional brain alterations associated with vulnerability or resilience could lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD.

AIM

Familial history is associated with an increased risk for major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite the increased risk, some members of the familial high-risk population remain healthy, that is, resilient. Defining the structural and functional brain alterations associated with vulnerability or resilience could lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD. This study aimed to review the current literature and discuss the association between brain alterations and vulnerability or resilience to MDD in people with familial risk.

METHODS

A literature search on MRI studies investigating structural and functional alterations in populations at familial risk for MDD was performed using the PubMed and SCOPUS databases. The search was conducted through June 13, 2022.

RESULTS

We reviewed and summarized the data of 72 articles (25 structural MRI, 35 functional MRI, 10 resting-state fMRI, one structural/functional MRI combined, and one structural/functional/resting-state fMRI combined). These findings suggested that resilience in high-risk individuals is related to the amygdala structure, frontal lobe activity, and functional connectivity between the amygdala and multiple frontal regions.

CONCLUSION

Resilient and vulnerable individuals exhibit structural and functional differences in multiple frontal and limbic regions. However, further systematic longitudinal research incorporating environmental factors is required to validate the current findings.

Regional Brain Volume Changes in Catholic Nuns: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Deep Learning-Based Brain MRI Segmentation

OBJECTIVE

Religious behaviors are considered as complex brain-based phenomena that may be associated with structural brain change. To identify the pattern of regional brain volume change in nuns, we investigated structural alterations in the brains of nuns using a fast processing automated segmentation method based on deep learning algorithms.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the catholic sisters between the ages of 31 and 80 who are members of the charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Korea. A total of 193 asymptomatic subjects (86 nuns and 107 control subjects) received comprehensive health screening and underwent brain MRI scans. We compared cortical and sub-cortical volume between groups across multiple locations using our in-house U-Net++ deep learning-based automatic segmentation tool.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the nun group displayed increased gray matter volume in the right lingual cortex, left isthmus-cingulate, posterior-cingulate, rostral-middle-frontal, superior-frontal, supramarginal, temporal-pole cortices, and bilateral pars-triangularis cortices after correction for multiple comparisons. On the other hand, the nun group showed reduced gray matter volume in the temporal and parietal regions relative to healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that spiritual practice may affect brain structure, especially in several frontal regions involved in a higher level of insight function.

Graph theory approach for the structural-functional brain connectome of depression

To decipher the organizational styles of neural underpinning in major depressive disorder (MDD), the current article reviewed recent neuroimaging studies (published during 2015-2020) that applied graph theory approach to the diffusion tensor imaging data or functional brain activation data acquired during task-free resting state. The global network organization of resting-state functional connectivity network in MDD were diverse according to the onset age and medication status. Intra-modular functional connections were weaker in MDD compared to healthy controls (HC) for default mode and limbic networks. Weaker local graph metrics of default mode, frontoparietal, and salience network components in MDD compared to HC were also found. On the contrary, brain regions comprising the limbic, sensorimotor, and subcortical networks showed higher local graph metrics in MDD compared to HC. For the brain white matter-based structural connectivity network, the global network organization was comparable to HC in adult MDD but was attenuated in late-life depression. Local graph metrics of limbic, salience, default-mode, subcortical, insular, and frontoparietal network components in structural connectome were affected from the severity of depressive symptoms, burden of perceived stress, and treatment effects. Collectively, the current review illustrated changed global network organization of structural and functional brain connectomes in MDD compared to HC and were varied according to the onset age and medication status. Intra-modular functional connectivity within the default mode and limbic networks were weaker in MDD compared to HC. Local graph metrics of structural connectome for MDD reflected severity of depressive symptom and perceived stress, and were also changed after treatments. Further studies that explore the graph metrics-based neural correlates of clinical features, cognitive styles, treatment response and prognosis in MDD are required.

Diffusion tensor imaging brain structural clustering patterns in major depressive disorder

Using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging data from 45 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 41 healthy controls (HCs), network indices based on a 246-region Brainnetcome Atlas were investigated in the two groups, and in the MDD subgroups that were subgrouped based on their duration of the disease. Correlation between the network indices and the duration of illness was also examined. Differences were observed between the MDDS subgroup (short disease duration) and the HC group, but not between the MDD and HC groups. Compared with the HCs, the clustering coefficient (CC) values of MDDS were higher in precentral gyrus, and caudal lingual gyrus; the CC of MDDL subgroup (long disease duration) was higher in postcentral gyrus and dorsal granular insula in the right hemisphere. Network resilience analyses showed that the MDDS group was higher than the HC group, representing relatively more randomized networks in the diseased brains. The correlation analyses showed that the caudal lingual gyrus in the right hemisphere and the rostral lingual gyrus in the left hemisphere were particularly correlated with disease duration. The analyses showed that duration of the illness appears to have an impact on the networking patterns. Networking abnormalities in MDD patients could be blurred or hidden by the heterogeneity of the MDD clinical subgroups. Brain plasticity may introduce a recovery effect to the abnormal network patterns seen in patients with a relative short term of the illness, as the abnormalities may disappear in MDDL .

The Role of Religiosity in Families at High Risk for Depression

BACKGROUND

About forty years ago we began a study of the offspring of depressed (high-risk) and not depressed (low-risk) parents, matched for age and gender, from the same community. We interviewed all of their biological children, blind to the clinical status of the parents. Over the years, we returned to re-interview the families at baseline, 2, 10, 20, 25 30, and 35 years. As the years went by and the sample grew up, we also interviewed the third generation, the grandchildren. As technology became available, we included measures of electrophysiology and magnetic resonance imaging in order to better understand the mechanisms of risk. At the 10-year follow up, we included measures of religion and spirituality - namely, personal religious/spiritual importance and frequency of religious service attendance. We included these measures in all subsequent waves including a more extensive follow up of religious beliefs at the 35-year follow up.

ISSUES OF FOCUS

This paper describes the study design and highlights the key findings of the role of religious/spiritual belief in the transmission and endurance of depression using clinical and biological approaches.

METHODS

We describe study findings based on clinical measures, as well as physiological measures that employed electrophysiology and magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

Taken together, the findings suggest that religiosity/spirituality is protective against depression in high-risk individuals at both clinical and physiological levels.

IMPLICATIONS

The findings suggest religiosity interacts with both culture and biology in its impact on depression.

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression

INTRODUCTION

Previously in a three-generation study of families at high risk for depression, we found that belief in the importance of religion/spirituality (R/S) was associated with thicker cortex in bilateral parietal and occipital regions. In the same sample using functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalograph (EEG), we found that offspring at high familial risk had thinner cortices, increased default mode network connectivity, and reduced EEG power. These group differences were significantly diminished in offspring at high risk who reported high importance of R/S beliefs, suggesting a protective effect.

METHODS

This study extends previous work examining brain microstructural differences associated with risk for major depressive disorder (MDD) and tests whether these are normalized in at-risk offspring who report high importance of R/S beliefs. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were selected from 99 2nd and 3rd generation offspring of 1st generation depressed (high-risk, HR) or nondepressed (low-risk, LR) parents. Whole-brain and region-of-interest analyses were performed, using ellipsoidal area ratio (EAR, an alternative diffusion anisotropy index comparable to fractional anisotropy). We examined microstructural differences associated with familial risk for depression within the groups of high and low importance of R/S beliefs (HI, LI).

RESULTS

In the LI group, HR individuals showed significantly decreased EAR in white matter regions neighboring the precuneus, superior parietal lobe, superior and middle frontal gyrus, and bilateral insula, supplementary motor area, and postcentral gyrus. In the HI group, HR individuals showed reduced EAR in white matter surrounding the left superior, and middle frontal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, and right supplementary motor area. Microstructural differences associated with familial risk for depression in precuneus, frontal lobe, and temporal lobe were nonsignificant or less significant in the HI group.

CONCLUSION

R/S beliefs may affect microstructure in brain regions associated with R/S, potentially conferring resilience to depression among HR individuals.