Neural function underlying reward expectancy and attainment in adolescents with diverse psychiatric symptoms

Intra- and Inter-Network connectivity of the default mode network differentiates Treatment-Resistant depression from Treatment-Sensitive depression

Understanding why some patients with depression remain resistant to antidepressant medication could be elucidated by investigating their associated neural features. Although research has consistently demonstrated abnormalities in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) - a region that is part of the default mode network (DMN) - in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a considerable research gap exists in discerning how these neural networks distinguish TRD from treatment-sensitive depression (TSD). We aimed to evaluate the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the ACC with other regions of the DMN to better understand the role of this structure in the pathophysiology of TRD. 35 TRD patients, 35 TSD patients, and 38 healthy controls (HC) underwent a resting-state functional MRI protocol. Seed-based functional connectivity analyses were performed, comparing the three groups for the connectivity between two subregions of the ACC (the subgenual ACC (sgACC) and the rostral ACC (rACC)) and the DMN (p < 0.05 FWE corrected). Furthermore, inter-network connectivity of the DMN with other neural networks was explored by independent component (ICA) analyses (p < 0.01, FDR corrected). The results demonstrated hyperconnectivity between the rACC and the posterior cingulate cortex in TRD relative to TSD and HC (F(2,105) = 5.335, p < 0.05). ICA found DMN connectivity to regions of the visual network (TRDTSD), differentiating the two clinical groups. These results provide confirmatory evidence of DMN hyperconnectivity and preliminary evidence for its interactions with other neural networks as key neural mechanisms underlying treatment non-responsiveness.

C-Reactive Protein Does Not Predict Future Depression Onset in Adolescents: Preliminary Findings from a Longitudinal Study

Introduction: Neuroinflammatory processes have been extensively implicated in the underlying neurobiology of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of nonspecific inflammation commonly utilized in clinical practice, has been associated with depression in adults. In adolescents, our group previously found CRP to be associated with altered neural reward function but not with mood and anxiety symptoms assessed cross-sectionally. We hypothesized that the distinct CRP findings in adolescent versus adult depression may be due to chronicity, with neuroinflammatory effects on psychiatric disorders gradually accumulating over time. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate if CRP levels predicted future onset or progression of depression in adolescents. Methods: Participants were 53 adolescents (age = 14.74 ± 1.92 years, 35 female), 40 with psychiatric symptoms and 13 healthy controls. At baseline, participants completed semistructured diagnostic evaluations; dimensional assessments for anxiety, depression, anhedonia, and suicidality severity; and bloodwork to quantify CRP levels. Clinical assessments were repeated at longitudinal follow-up after ∼1.5 years. Spearman's correlation between CRP levels and follow-up symptom severity were controlled for body mass index, age, sex, and follow-up interval and considered significant at the two-tailed, Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.05 level. Results: After correction for multiple comparisons, no relationships were identified between baseline CRP levels and follow-up symptom severity. Conclusion: CRP levels were not significantly associated with future psychiatric symptoms in adolescents in this preliminary analysis. This may suggest that CRP is not a useful biomarker for adolescent depression and anxiety. However, future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes and incorporating additional indicators of neuroinflammation are needed.

C-reactive protein does not predict future depression onset in adolescents: preliminary findings from a longitudinal study

Introduction

Neuroinflammatory processes have been extensively implicated in the underlying neurobiology of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of non-specific inflammation commonly utilized in clinical practice, has been associated with depression in adults. In adolescents, our group previously found CRP to be associated with altered neural reward function but not with mood and anxiety symptoms assessed cross-sectionally. We hypothesized that the distinct CRP findings in adolescent vs. adult depression may be due to chronicity, with neuroinflammatory effects on psychiatric disorders gradually accumulating over time. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate if CRP levels predicted future onset or progression of depression in adolescents.

Methods

Participants were 53 adolescents (ages 14.74 ± 1.92, 35 female), 40 with psychiatric symptoms and 13 healthy controls. At baseline, participants completed semi-structured diagnostic evaluations; dimensional assessments for anxiety, depression, anhedonia, and suicidality severity; and bloodwork to quantify CRP levels. Clinical assessments were repeated at longitudinal follow-up after approximately 1.5 years. Spearman's correlation between CRP levels and follow-up symptom severity were controlled for BMI, age, sex, and follow-up interval and considered significant at the two-tailed, Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.05 level.

Results

After correction for multiple comparisons, no relationships were identified between baseline CRP levels and follow-up symptom severity.

Conclusion

CRP levels were not significantly associated with future psychiatric symptoms in adolescents in this preliminary analysis. This may suggest that CRP is not a useful biomarker for adolescent depression and anxiety. However, future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes and incorporating additional indicators of neuroinflammation are needed.