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Krivosova M, Hutka P, Ondrejka I, Visnovcova Z, Funakova D, Hrtanek I, Ferencova N, Mlyncekova Z, Kovacova V, Macejova A, Kukucka T, Mokry J, Tonhajzerova I. Vortioxetine's impact on the autonomic nervous system in depressed children and adolescents: analysis of the heart rate variability. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14442. [PMID: 38910177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65278-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Relationship between depressive disorder and autonomic nervous system has been already discussed. Reduced emotional regulation is supposed to be associated with prefrontal hypofunction and subcortical hyperactivity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vortioxetine on heart rate variability (HRV), a parameter of cardiac autonomic regulation, in depressed hospitalized paediatric patients and assess the clinical effectiveness of the drug in this population. We performed repeated polysomnography analyses at admission and after a short treatment in hospital (15.2 days on average) and measured various HRV parameters (RRi, pNN50, RMSSD, LF-HRV, HF-HRV) during wakefulness, N3 and REM sleep stages. Out of 27 study subjects, 67% have improved depression symptoms as well as anxiety and subjective sleep quality after short vortioxetine treatment. We have found a significant decrease in parasympathetic parameters pNN50, RMSSD and HF-HRV during N3 sleep phase, though not exclusively among vortioxetine responders. The anticipated increase in cardiovagal regulation after vortioxetine treatment was not demonstrated in this pilot study, possibly due to the drug's multimodal mechanism and impact on the nucleus tractus solitarii, particularly its antagonism on 5HT-3 receptors. Application of selective drugs could further explain the effect of vortioxetine on HRV in depressed patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Krivosova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Biomedical Centre Martin, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Peter Hutka
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Igor Ondrejka
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia.
| | - Zuzana Visnovcova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Biomedical Centre Martin, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Dana Funakova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Igor Hrtanek
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Nikola Ferencova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Biomedical Centre Martin, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Mlyncekova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Kovacova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Macejova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Tomas Kukucka
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Mokry
- Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Ingrid Tonhajzerova
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Psychiatric Clinic, Comenius University Bratislava, University Hospital Martin, Martin, Slovakia
- Department of Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
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Dubol M, Stiernman L, Sundström-Poromaa I, Bixo M, Comasco E. Cortical morphology variations during the menstrual cycle in individuals with and without premenstrual dysphoric disorder. J Affect Disord 2024; 355:470-477. [PMID: 38552916 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is hypothesized to stem from maladaptive neural sensitivity to ovarian steroid hormone fluctuations. Recently, we found thinner cortices in individuals with PMDD, compared to healthy controls, during the symptomatic phase. Here, we aimed at investigating whether such differences illustrate state-like characteristics specific to the symptomatic phase, or trait-like features defining PMDD. METHODS Patients and controls were scanned using structural magnetic resonance imaging during the mid-follicular and late-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Group-by-phase interaction effects on cortical architecture metrics (cortical thickness, gyrification index, cortical complexity, and sulcal depth) were assessed using surface-based morphometry. RESULTS Independently of menstrual cycle phase, a main effect of diagnostic group on surface metrics was found, primarily illustrating thinner cortices (0.3 < Cohen's d > 1.1) and lower gyrification indices (0.4 < Cohen's d > 1.0) in patients compared to controls. Furthermore, menstrual cycle-specific effects were detected across all participants, depicting a decrease in cortical thickness (0.4 < Cohen's d > 1.7) and region-dependent changes in cortical folding metrics (0.4 < Cohen's d > 2.2) from the mid-follicular to the late luteal phase. LIMITATIONS Small effects (d = 0.3) require a larger sample size to be accurately characterized. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide initial evidence of trait-like cortical characteristics of the brain of individuals with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, together with indications of menstrual cycle-related variations in cortical architecture in patients and controls. Further investigations exploring whether these differences constitute stable vulnerability markers or develop over the years may help understand PMDD etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Dubol
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | | | | | - Marie Bixo
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden.
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Sigrist C, Ottaviani C, Baumeister-Lingens L, Bussone S, Pesca C, Kaess M, Carola V, Koenig J. A sex-specific pathway linking early life maltreatment, vagal activity, and depressive symptoms. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2325247. [PMID: 38512074 PMCID: PMC10962311 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2325247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Experiences of early life maltreatment (ELM) are alarmingly common and represent a risk factor for the development of psychopathology, particularly depression. Research has focused on alterations in autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning as a mediator of negative mental health outcomes associated with ELM. Early alterations in autonomic vagal activity (vmHRV) may moderate the relationship between ELM and depression, particularly when considering forms of emotional maltreatment. Recent evidence suggests that the relationships of both ELM and vmHRV with depression may be non-linear, particularly considering females.Objective: Building on and extending theoretical considerations and previous work, the present work aims to further the current understanding of the complex relationships between ELM exposure, vmHRV, and depression.Methods: This study uses an adaptive modelling approach, combining exploratory network-based analyses with linear and quadratic moderation analyses, drawing on a large sample of males and females across adolescence (total N = 213; outpatient at-risk sample and healthy controls) and adulthood (total N = 85; community-based convenience sample).Results: Exploratory network-based analyses reveal that exposure to emotional abuse is particularly central within a network of ELM subtypes, depressive symptoms, and concurrent vmHRV in both adolescents and adults. In adults, emotional neglect shows strong associations with both emotional abuse and vmHRV and is highly central as a network node, which is not observed in adolescents. Moderator analyses reveal significant interactions between emotional maltreatment and vmHRV predicting depressive symptoms in adult females. Significant quadratic relationships of emotional maltreatment and vmHRV with depression are observed in both adolescent and adult females.Conclusions: The present findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological and physiological mechanisms by which ELM acts as a risk factor for the development of depression. Ultimately, this will contribute to the development of targeted and effective intervention strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Sigrist
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Cristina Ottaviani
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Luise Baumeister-Lingens
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Silvia Bussone
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Pesca
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Kaess
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Valeria Carola
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Julian Koenig
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Shao J, Qin J, Wang H, Sun Y, Zhang W, Wang X, Wang T, Xue L, Yao Z, Lu Q. Capturing the Individual Deviations From Normative Models of Brain Structure for Depression Diagnosis and Treatment. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:403-413. [PMID: 37579934 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high heterogeneity of depression prevents us from obtaining reproducible and definite anatomical maps of brain structural changes associated with the disorder, which limits the individualized diagnosis and treatment of patients. In this study, we investigated the clinical issues related to depression according to individual deviations from normative ranges of gray matter volume. METHODS We enrolled 1092 participants, including 187 patients with depression and 905 healthy control participants. Structural magnetic resonance imaging data of healthy control participants from the Human Connectome Project (n = 510) and REST-meta-MDD Project (n = 229) were used to establish a normative model across the life span in adults 18 to 65 years old for each brain region. Deviations from the normative range for 187 patients and 166 healthy control participants recruited from two local hospitals were captured as normative probability maps, which were used to identify the disease risk and treatment-related latent factors. RESULTS In contrast to case-control results, our normative modeling approach revealed highly individualized patterns of anatomic abnormalities in depressed patients (less than 11% extreme deviation overlapping for any regions). Based on our classification framework, models trained with individual normative probability maps (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve range, 0.7146-0.7836) showed better performance than models trained with original gray matter volume values (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve range, 0.6800-0.7036), which was verified in an independent external test set. Furthermore, different latent brain structural factors in relation to antidepressant treatment were revealed by a Bayesian model based on normative probability maps, suggesting distinct treatment response and inclination. CONCLUSIONS Capturing personalized deviations from a normative range could help in understanding the heterogeneous neurobiology of depression and thus guide clinical diagnosis and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junneng Shao
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiaolong Qin
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan Wang
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yurong Sun
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Wang
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Xue
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhijian Yao
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Qing Lu
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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Kang Y, Shin D, Kim A, You SH, Kim B, Han KM, Ham BJ. The effect of inflammation markers on cortical thinning in major depressive disorder: A possible mediator of depression and cortical changes. J Affect Disord 2024; 348:229-237. [PMID: 38160887 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition with significant societal impact. Owing to the intricate biological diversity of MDD, treatment efficacy remains limited. Immune biomarkers have emerged as potential predictors of treatment response, underscoring the interaction between the immune system and the brain. This study investigated the relationship between cytokine levels and cortical thickness in patients with MDD, focusing on the corticolimbic circuit, to elucidate the influence of neuroinflammation on structural brain changes and contribute to a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD. METHOD A total of 114 patients with MDD and 101 healthy controls (HC) matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) were recruited. All participants were assessed for depression severity using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and 3.0 T T1 weighted brain MRI data were acquired. Additionally, cytokine levels were measured using a highly sensitive bead-based multiplex immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Patients diagnosed with MDD exhibited notably elevated levels of interleukin-6 (p = 0.005) and interleukin-8 (p = 0.005), alongside significant cortical thinning in the left anterior cingulate gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus, with these findings maintaining significance even after applying Bonferroni correction. Furthermore, increased interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels in patients with MDD are associated with alterations in the left frontomarginal gyrus and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). CONCLUSIONS This suggests a potential influence of neuroinflammation on right ACC function in MDD patients, warranting longitudinal research to explore interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 mediated neurotoxicity in MDD vulnerability and brain morphology changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youbin Kang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Daun Shin
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hye You
- Department of Radiology, Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungjun Kim
- Department of Radiology, Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Man Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Toffanin T, Cattarinussi G, Ghiotto N, Lussignoli M, Pavan C, Pieri L, Schiff S, Finatti F, Romagnolo F, Folesani F, Nanni MG, Caruso R, Zerbinati L, Belvederi Murri M, Ferrara M, Pigato G, Grassi L, Sambataro F. Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on cortical thickness in depression: a systematic review. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38343196 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2024.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most studied and validated available treatments for severe or treatment-resistant depression. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying ECT. This systematic review aims to critically review all structural magnetic resonance imaging studies investigating longitudinal cortical thickness (CT) changes after ECT in patients with unipolar or bipolar depression. METHODS We performed a search on PubMed, Medline, and Embase to identify all available studies published before April 20, 2023. A total of 10 studies were included. RESULTS The investigations showed widespread increases in CT after ECT in depressed patients, involving mainly the temporal, insular, and frontal regions. In five studies, CT increases in a non-overlapping set of brain areas correlated with the clinical efficacy of ECT. The small sample size, heterogeneity in terms of populations, comorbidities, and ECT protocols, and the lack of a control group in some investigations limit the generalisability of the results. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the idea that ECT can increase CT in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. It remains unclear whether these changes are related to the clinical response. Future larger studies with longer follow-up are warranted to thoroughly address the potential role of CT as a biomarker of clinical response after ECT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Toffanin
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Cattarinussi
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Niccolò Ghiotto
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Pavan
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Pieri
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Sami Schiff
- Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesco Finatti
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Romagnolo
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Federica Folesani
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Nanni
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Rosangela Caruso
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luigi Zerbinati
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martino Belvederi Murri
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Ferrara
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgio Pigato
- Department of Psychiatry, Padova University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Luigi Grassi
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabio Sambataro
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Wang F, Hou X, Guo X, Zang C, Wu G, Zhao J. Regional decreases of cortical thickness in major depressive disorder and their correlation with illness duration: a case-control study. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1297204. [PMID: 38322142 PMCID: PMC10844537 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1297204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Alterations in brain structure and function in major depressive disorder (MDD) have been identified in a number of studies, but findings regarding cortical thickness were various and inconsistent. Our current study aims to explore the differences in cortical thickness between individuals with MDD and healthy controls (HC) in a Chinese population. Methods We investigated T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 61 participants (31 MDD and 30 HC). The cortical thickness between the two groups and analyzed correlations between cortical thickness and demographic variables in the MDD group for regions with significant between-group differences were conducted. Results Compared with the HC group, patients with MDD had significantly decreased cortical thickness, in left pars triangularis, left pars orbitalis, left rostral middle frontal gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, right lingual gyrus, right fusiform and right inferior parietal gyrus. The cortical thickness of left rostral middle frontal gyrus was negatively correlated (r = -0.47, p = 0.028) with the illness duration in patients with MDD. Conclusion Our study distinguished that cortical thickness decreases in numerous brain regions both in the left and right hemisphere in individuals with MDD, and the negative correlation between the cortical thickness of left rostral middle frontal gyrus illness duration. Our current findings are valuable in providing neural markers to identify MDD and understanding the potential pathophysiology of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fukun Wang
- General Committee Office, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaofang Hou
- Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiao Guo
- General Committee Office, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Chen Zang
- Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Zhumadian Second People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Donnelly BM, Hsu DT, Gardus J, Wang J, Yang J, Parsey RV, DeLorenzo C. Orbitofrontal and striatal metabolism, volume, thickness and structural connectivity in relation to social anhedonia in depression: A multimodal study. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 41:103553. [PMID: 38134743 PMCID: PMC10777107 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anhedonia is common within major depressive disorder (MDD) and associated with worse treatment outcomes. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is implicated in both reward (medial OFC) and punishment (lateral OFC) in social decision making. Therefore, to understand the biology of social anhedonia in MDD, medial/lateral OFC metabolism, volume, and thickness, as well as structural connectivity to the striatum, amygdala, and ventral tegmental area/nucleus accumbens were examined. A positive relationship between social anhedonia and these neurobiological outcomes in the lateral OFC was hypothesized, whereas an inverse relationship was hypothesized for the medial OFC. The association between treatment-induced changes in OFC neurobiology and depression improvement were also examined. METHODS 85 medication-free participants diagnosed with MDD were assessed with Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales to assess social anhedonia and received pretreatment simultaneous fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including structural and diffusion. Participants were then treated in an 8-week randomized placebo-controlled double-blind course of escitalopram. PET/MRI were repeated following treatment. Metabolic rate of glucose uptake was quantified from dynamic FDG-PET frames using Patlak graphical analysis. Structure (volume and cortical thickness) was quantified from structural MRI using Freesurfer. To assess structural connectivity, probabilistic tractography was performed on diffusion MRI and average FA was calculated within the derived tracts. Linear mixed models with Bonferroni correction were used to examine the relationships between variables. RESULTS A significantly negative linear relationship between pretreatment social anhedonia score and structural connectivity between the medial OFC and the amygdala (estimated coefficient: -0.006, 95 % CI: -0.0108 - -0.0012, p-value = 0.0154) was observed. However, this finding would not survive multiple comparisons correction. No strong evidence existed to show a significant linear relationship between pretreatment social anhedonia score and metabolism, volume, thickness, or structural connectivity to any of the regions examined. There was also no strong evidence to suggest significant linear relationships between improvement in depression and percent change in these variables. CONCLUSIONS Based on these multimodal findings, the OFC likely does not underlie social anhedonia in isolation and therefore should not be the sole target of treatment for social anhedonia. This is consistent with previous reports that other areas of the brain such as the amygdala and the striatum are highly involved in this behavior. Relatedly, amygdala-medial OFC structural connectivity could be a future target. The results of this study are crucial as, to our knowledge, they are the first to relate structure/function of the OFC with social anhedonia severity in MDD. Future work may need to involve a whole brain approach in order to develop therapeutics for social anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David T Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - John Gardus
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Junying Wang
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Ramin V Parsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Christine DeLorenzo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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9
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Korom M, Tabachnick AR, Sellers T, Valadez EA, Tottenham N, Dozier M. Associations between cortical thickness and parasympathetic nervous system functioning during middle childhood. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14391. [PMID: 37455342 PMCID: PMC10789912 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Positive associations have been found between cortical thickness and measures of parasympathetic cardiac control (e.g., respiratory sinus arrhythmia, RSA) in adults, which may indicate mechanistic integration between neural and physiological indicators of stress regulation. However, it is unknown when in development this brain-body association arises and whether the direction of association and neuroanatomical localization vary across development. To investigate this, we collected structural magnetic resonance imaging and resting-state respiratory sinus arrhythmia data from children in middle childhood (N = 62, Mage = 10.09, range: 8.28-12.14 years). Whole-brain and exploratory ROI analyses revealed positive associations between RSA and cortical thickness in four frontal and parietal clusters in the left hemisphere and one cluster in the right. Exploratory ROI analyses revealed a similar positive association between cortical thickness and RSA, with two regions surviving multiple comparison correction, including the inferior frontal orbital gyrus and the Sylvian fissure. Prior work has identified these cortical areas as part of the central autonomic network that supports integrative regulation of stress response (e.g., autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral) and emotional expression. Our results suggest that the association between cortical thickness and resting RSA is present in middle childhood and is similar to the associations seen during adulthood. Future studies should investigate associations between RSA and cortical thickness among young children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | | | - Tabitha Sellers
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Emilio A Valadez
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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10
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Baumeister-Lingens L, Rothe R, Wolff L, Gerlach AL, Koenig J, Sigrist C. Vagally-mediated heart rate variability and depression in children and adolescents - A meta-analytic update. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:237-255. [PMID: 37437729 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is one of the most common mental disorders and a leading cause of disability worldwide. In adults, depression is characterized by decreased vagal activity (vagally-mediated heart rate variability; vmHRV), while vmHRV is inversely correlated with depressive symptoms. In children/adolescents, a 2016 synthesis (4 studies, 259 individuals) found similarly decreased vmHRV in clinical depression, but no significant association between depressive symptoms and vmHRV (6 studies, 2625 individuals). Given the small number of studies previously considered for synthesis and the rapidly growing evidence base in this area, a meta-analytic update was warranted. METHOD A previous review was updated by a systematic literature search to identify studies that (a) compared vmHRV in clinically depressed children/adolescents with non-depressed controls and (b) reported associations between vmHRV and depression severity. RESULTS The search update identified 5 additional studies for group comparison (k = 9 studies in total, n = 608 individuals in total) and 15 additional studies for correlational meta-analysis (k = 21 studies in total, n = 4224 individuals in total). Evidence was found for lower resting-state vmHRV in clinically depressed children/adolescents compared to healthy controls (SMD = -0.593, 95 % CI [-1.1760; -0.0101], I2 = 90.92 %) but not for a significant association between vmHRV and depressive symptoms (r = -0.053, 95 % CI [-0.118; 0.012], I2 = 65.77 %). Meta-regression revealed a significant association between depressive symptoms and vmHRV as a function of sex. LIMITATIONS The samples considered are highly heterogeneous. Data on the longitudinal association between vmHRV and depression are currently lacking. CONCLUSION The present findings support the use of vmHRV as a biomarker for clinical depression in children/adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Baumeister-Lingens
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Roxana Rothe
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lena Wolff
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander L Gerlach
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Julian Koenig
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Sigrist
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany.
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11
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Sambuco N, Bradley MM, Lang PJ. Dimensional distress and orbitofrontal thickness in anxiety patients. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2023; 335:111708. [PMID: 37717542 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Thickness of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) was assessed as it varied with reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in a large sample of anxiety patients. A principal component analysis identified a primary factor of transdiagnostic dimensional distress that predicted 24% of the mOFC variance. Severity of distress symptomology was associated with thinning of the mOFC in both hemispheres for both men and women, regardless of the primary DSM diagnosis. Taken together, the data indicate that mOFC thickness might be useful as an objective measure of disorder severity as well as to assess pharmacological or psychological treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Sambuco
- Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America.
| | - Margaret M Bradley
- Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Peter J Lang
- Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
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12
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Fiani D, Campbell H, Solmi M, Fiedorowicz JG, Calarge CA. Impact of antidepressant use on the autonomic nervous system: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 71:75-95. [PMID: 37075594 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Changes in cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation observed in psychiatric disorders may be mitigated by antidepressants. We meta-analyzed and systematically reviewed studies examining antidepressants' effects on ANS outcomes, including heart rate variability (HRV). We conducted a PRISMA/MOOSE-compliant search of PubMed and Scopus until March 28th, 2022. We included randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) and pre-post studies, regardless of diagnosis. We pooled results in random-effects meta-analyses, pooling homogeneous study designs and outcomes. We conducted sensitivity analyses and assessed quality of included studies. Thirty studies could be meta-analyzed. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were significantly associated with a reduction in the square root of the mean-squared difference between successive R-R intervals (RMSSD) (SMD= -0.48) and skin conductance response (SMD= -0.55) in RCTs and with a significant increase in RMSSD in pre-post studies (SMD=0.27). In pre-post studies, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were associated with a significant decrease in several HRV outcomes while agomelatine was associated with a significant increase in high frequency power (SMD= 0.14). In conclusion, SSRIs reduce skin conductance response but have no or inconclusive effects on other ANS outcomes, depending on study design. TCAs reduce markers of parasympathetic function while agomelatine might have the opposite effect. Studies are needed to investigate the impact of SSRIs on the recovery of cardiac ANS regulation after acute myocardial infarction, and the effects of newer antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Fiani
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Hannah Campbell
- Duke Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Marco Solmi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jess G Fiedorowicz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chadi A Calarge
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.
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13
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Moretta T, Kaess M, Koenig J. A comparative evaluation of resting state proxies of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity in adolescent major depression. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:135-144. [PMID: 36629967 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-022-02577-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, characterized by decreased parasympathetic (PNS) and increased sympathetic (SNS) activity. Although findings on reduced PNS activity in adult MDD have been replicated in adolescents, comprehensive studies assessing PNS and SNS proxies in underage patients with MDD are scarce. Proxies of resting PNS (heart rate variability (HRV) and SNS activity (skin conductance response [SCR] and salivary alpha amylase [sAA], as well as mixed activity (heart rate [HR]) were collected in adolescents with MDD (n = 29) and non-depressed controls (n = 29). Primary analyses addressed differences between groups and correlations with depression severity. Patients with MDD showed significantly decreased HRV (g = - 0.87; 95% CI [- 1.39; - 0.35]) and increased HR (g = 0.66; 95% CI [0.14; 1.18]). Proxies of pure SNS activity showed no significant differences between groups. HR (positive) and HRV (negative) were significantly correlated with self- and clinician-rated depression severity. Alterations of ANS activity are evident in adolescent MDD, but characterized by decreased PNS activity only. We found no evidence for altered SNS activity. Findings suggest that ANS dysfunction early in the course of MDD might be predominantly driven by decreased PNS activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Moretta
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Michael Kaess
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julian Koenig
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. .,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.
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14
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Chen S, Wang H, Yue J, Guan N, Wang X. Intervention methods for improving reduced heart rate variability in patients with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Compr Psychiatry 2022; 119:152347. [PMID: 36183449 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several studies have demonstrated that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) commonly show reductions in heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Thus, interventions for the improvement of low HRV may be advantageous in treating MDD. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the improvement effects of current clinical treatments on low HRV in patients with MDD. METHODS Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CNKI databases were searched for relevant literature. Interventional studies of patients with confirmed MDD, which included baseline and post-intervention data and at least one HRV parameter as an outcome indicator, were included for meta-analysis. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Several studies affirmed the role of psychotherapy in improving low HRV in patients with MDD showing a significant increase in high-frequency and low-frequency power after psychotherapy in the meta-analysis. However, both pharmacotherapy studies and physiotherapy studies included in the meta-analysis showed significant heterogeneity. LIMITATIONS The main limitation of this study was the relatively small samples for the meta-analysis, and more high-quality randomized controlled trials in this field are wanted. CONCLUSIONS Psychotherapy was effective for improving low HRV in patients with MDD. However, the effect of pharmacotherapy or physical therapy on low HRV in MDD remains unclear. Regarding research methods, it is necessary to formulate and standardize operational guidelines for future HRV measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shurui Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 52 East Meihua Road, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Jihui Yue
- Department of Psychiatry, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 52 East Meihua Road, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Nianhong Guan
- Department of Psychiatry, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Xianglan Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 52 East Meihua Road, Zhuhai 519000, China.
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15
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Buchmann A, Ritter C, Müller ST, Haynes M, Ghisleni C, Tuura R, Hasler G. Associations between heart rate variability, peripheral inflammatory markers and major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2022; 304:93-101. [PMID: 35196535 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Measures for the irregularity of the heartbeat, for example respiratory sinus arrhythmia, have been implicated as a measure for restorative functions of the vegetative nervous system. METHODS In the current observational study, we investigated 265 subjects, 70 of whom had a lifetime history of major depression, with a plethysmographic heartbeat monitor, blood sampling, as well as a range of psychiatric questionnaires. RESULTS Subjects with a history of MDE had significantly reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as compared to never-depressed controls; in the whole sample, higher RSA went with lower anxiety/fear variables, especially in subscores related to cardiac symptoms as well as being afraid of dying. A reduced RSA was also associated with an increased concentration of cytokines (TNFa, IL1a, IL6, IFNg) and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum, pointing to a possible triangular relationship between immune system, vegetative nervous system, and emotional dysregulation. LIMITATIONS We used a plethysmographic device for the measurement of heartbeat instead of an electrocardiogram, and had a single time point only. CONCLUSIONS This data corroborate the idea that a disequilibrium of the vegetative nervous, especially if accompanied by a dysregulation system in immune function, can increase the risk for depression. Conversely, vagal stimulation and anti-inflammatory treatments may support the treatment with antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Buchmann
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland; Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Cardinal-Journet 3, 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne, Fribourg, Switzerland; Center of MR-Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christopher Ritter
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland; Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Cardinal-Journet 3, 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne, Fribourg, Switzerland; Center of MR-Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Theresia Müller
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Haynes
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Ghisleni
- Center of MR-Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruth Tuura
- Center of MR-Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Hasler
- Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Cardinal-Journet 3, 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne, Fribourg, Switzerland
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16
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Vargas MV, Meyer R, Avanes AA, Rus M, Olson DE. Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:727117. [PMID: 34671279 PMCID: PMC8520991 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.727117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychedelics have inspired new hope for treating brain disorders, as they seem to be unlike any treatments currently available. Not only do they produce sustained therapeutic effects following a single administration, they also appear to have broad therapeutic potential, demonstrating efficacy for treating depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorder, and alcohol use disorder, among others. Psychedelics belong to a more general class of compounds known as psychoplastogens, which robustly promote structural and functional neural plasticity in key circuits relevant to brain health. Here we discuss the importance of structural plasticity in the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as the evidence demonstrating that psychedelics are among the most effective chemical modulators of neural plasticity studied to date. Furthermore, we provide a theoretical framework with the potential to explain why psychedelic compounds produce long-lasting therapeutic effects across a wide range of brain disorders. Despite their promise as broadly efficacious neurotherapeutics, there are several issues associated with psychedelic-based medicines that drastically limit their clinical scalability. We discuss these challenges and how they might be overcome through the development of non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens. The clinical use of psychedelics and other psychoplastogenic compounds marks a paradigm shift in neuropsychiatry toward therapeutic approaches relying on the selective modulation of neural circuits with small molecule drugs. Psychoplastogen research brings us one step closer to actually curing mental illness by rectifying the underlying pathophysiology of disorders like depression, moving beyond simply treating disease symptoms. However, determining how to most effectively deploy psychoplastogenic medicines at scale will be an important consideration as the field moves forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxemiliano V. Vargas
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Retsina Meyer
- Delix Therapeutics, Inc., Concord, MA, United States
| | - Arabo A. Avanes
- Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Mark Rus
- Delix Therapeutics, Inc., Concord, MA, United States
| | - David E. Olson
- Delix Therapeutics, Inc., Concord, MA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA, United States
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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17
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Respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) modulates brain response to stress in major depression. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 142:188-197. [PMID: 34365067 PMCID: PMC8429271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Negative stress significantly impacts major depressive disorder (MDD), given the shared brain circuitry between the stress response and mood. Thus, interventions that target this circuitry will have an important impact on MDD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of a novel respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) technique in the modulation of brain activity and connectivity in women with MDD in response to negative stressful stimuli. METHODS Twenty premenopausal women with recurrent MDD in an active episode were included in a cross-over experimental study that included two functional MRI visits within one week, randomized to receive exhalatory- (e-RAVANS) or inhalatory-gated (i-RAVANS) at each visit. Subjects were exposed to a visual stress challenge that preceded and followed RAVANS. A Factorial analysis was used to evaluate the effects of RAVANS on brain activity and connectivity and changes in depressive and anxiety symptomatology post-stress. RESULTS Compared with i-RAVANS, e-RAVANS was significantly associated with increased activation of subgenual anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortices and increased connectivity between hypothalamus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and from nucleus tractus solitarii to locus coeruleus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Changes in brain activity and connectivity after e-RAVANS were significantly associated with a reduction in depressive and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests exhalatory-gated RAVANS effectively modulates brain circuitries regulating response to negative stress and is associated with significant acute reduction of depressive and anxiety symptomatology in women with recurrent MDD. Findings suggest a potential non-pharmacologic intervention for acute relief of depressive symptomatology in MDD.
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18
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Chu SH, Parhi KK, Westlund Schreiner M, Lenglet C, Mueller BA, Klimes-Dougan B, Cullen KR. Effect of SSRIs on Resting-State Functional Brain Networks in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10194322. [PMID: 34640340 PMCID: PMC8509847 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10194322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigation of brain changes in functional connectivity and functional network topology from receiving 8-week selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatments is conducted in 12 unmedicated adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) by using wavelet-filtered resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Changes are observed in frontal-limbic, temporal, and default mode networks. In particular, topological analysis shows, at the global scale and in the 0.12–0.25 Hz band, that the normalized clustering coefficient and smallworldness of brain networks decreased after treatment. Regional changes in clustering coefficient and efficiency were observed in the bilateral caudal middle frontal gyrus, rostral middle frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, left pars triangularis, putamen, and right superior frontal gyrus. Furthermore, changes of nodal centrality and changes of connectivity associated with these frontal and temporal regions confirm the global topological alternations. Moreover, frequency dependence is observed from FDR-controlled subnetworks for the limbic-cortical connectivity change. In the high-frequency band, the altered connections involve mostly frontal regions, while the altered connections in the low-frequency bands spread to parietal and temporal areas. Due to the limitation of small sample sizes and lack of placebo control, these preliminary findings require confirmation with future work using larger samples. Confirmation of biomarkers associated with treatment could suggest potential avenues for clinical applications such as tracking treatment response and neurobiologically informed treatment optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Hsien Chu
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (S.-H.C.); (K.K.P.); (C.L.)
| | - Keshab K. Parhi
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (S.-H.C.); (K.K.P.); (C.L.)
| | - Melinda Westlund Schreiner
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA;
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (S.-H.C.); (K.K.P.); (C.L.)
- Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Bryon A. Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
| | | | - Kathryn R. Cullen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
- Correspondence:
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19
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Weise S, Parzer P, Fürer L, Zimmermann R, Schmeck K, Resch F, Kaess M, Koenig J. Autonomic nervous system activity and dialectical behavioral therapy outcome in adolescent borderline personality pathology. World J Biol Psychiatry 2021; 22:535-545. [PMID: 33522370 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2020.1858155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate whether pre-treatment cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, indexed by heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) predicts clinical outcome and therapy drop-outs in adolescents with borderline personality (BPD) pathology receiving dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT-A). We further tested for an association between changes in ANS function and clinical outcome over time. Traumatic experiences were considered as potential confounding factor. METHODS N = 43 (95.4% female, Mage = 15.5 years) adolescents fulfilling at least sub-threshold criteria for BPD (≥3) were investigated before and after outpatient DBT-A as well as at follow-up. N = 10 patients dropped out of treatment (<50% of treatment sessions). Latent growth curve models were used for analyses. RESULTS Greater pre-treatment resting HRV significantly predicted clinical improvement (decrease in BPD pathology/increase of global functioning) over time. Pre-treatment ANS activity was unrelated to treatment drop-out. Further, changes in ANS activity over treatment were associated with changes in clinical outcome. CONCLUSION This study is the first providing evidence that pre-treatment HRV predicts and is related to treatment response in adolescent borderline personality pathology. Implications for the use of ANS measures in clinical practice and directions for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindy Weise
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Parzer
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Fürer
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ronan Zimmermann
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Schmeck
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research Department, Psychiatric University Hospitals, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Franz Resch
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julian Koenig
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Koenig J, Parzer P, Haigis N, Liebemann J, Jung T, Resch F, Kaess M. Effects of acute transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on emotion recognition in adolescent depression. Psychol Med 2021; 51:511-520. [PMID: 31818339 PMCID: PMC7958483 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719003490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a promising therapeutic option for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. Alternative third-line treatments for MDD in adolescents are scarce. Here we aimed to assess the effects of acute tVNS on emotion recognition in adolescents with MDD. METHODS Adolescents (14-17 years) with MDD (n = 33) and non-depressed controls (n = 30) received tVNS or sham-stimulation in a cross-sectional, case-control, within-subject cross-randomized controlled trial, while performing different tasks assessing emotion recognition. Correct responses, response times, and errors of omission and commission on three different computerized emotion recognition tasks were assessed as main outcomes. Simultaneous recordings of electrocardiography and electro dermal activity, as well as sampling of saliva for the determination of α-amylase, were used to quantify the effects on autonomic nervous system function. RESULTS tVNS had no effect on the recognition of gradually or static expressed emotions but altered response inhibition on the emotional Go/NoGo-task. Specifically, tVNS increased the likelihood of omitting a response toward sad target-stimuli in adolescents with MDD, while decreasing errors (independent of the target emotion) in controls. Effects of acute tVNS on autonomic nervous system function were found in non-depressed controls only. CONCLUSIONS Acute tVNS alters the recognition of briefly presented facial expressions of negative valence in adolescents with MDD while generally increasing emotion recognition in controls. tVNS seems to specifically alter early visual processing of stimuli of negative emotional valence in MDD. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic benefit of tVNS in adolescent MDD that requires further evaluation within clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Koenig
- Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Stöckli, Bolligenstrasse 141c, 3000Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Peter Parzer
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niklas Haigis
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Liebemann
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tamara Jung
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franz Resch
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Stöckli, Bolligenstrasse 141c, 3000Bern 60, Switzerland
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Blumenstr. 8, 69115Heidelberg, Germany
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21
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Wu P, Zhang A, Sun N, Lei L, Liu P, Wang Y, Li H, Yang C, Zhang K. Cortical Thickness Predicts Response Following 2 Weeks of SSRI Regimen in First-Episode, Drug-Naive Major Depressive Disorder: An MRI Study. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:751756. [PMID: 35273524 PMCID: PMC8902047 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.751756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Major depression disorder (MDD) is a harmful disorder, and the pathological mechanism remains unclear. The primary pharmacotherapy regimen for MDD is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but fewer than 40% of patients with MDD are in remission following initial treatment. Neuroimaging biomarkers of treatment efficacy can be used to guide personalized treatment in MDD. This study aims to determine if cortical thickness can be used as a predictor for SSRIs. METHODS A total of 126 first-episode, drug-naive MDD patients (MDDs) and 71 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in our study. Demographic data were collected according to the self-made case report form (CRF) at the baseline of all subjects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning was performed for all the participants at baseline, and all imaging was processed using the DPABISurf software. All MDDs were treated with SSRIs, and symptoms were assessed at both the baseline and 2 weeks using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale (HAMD-17). According to HAMD-17 total score improvement from baseline to the end of 2 weeks, the MDDs were divided into the non-responder group (defined as ≤ 20% HAMD-17 reduction) and responder group (defined as ≥50% HAMD-17 reduction). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of MDDs' and HCs' cortical thickness for MDD. Correlation analysis was performed for the responder group and the non-responder group separately to identify the relationship between cortical thickness and SSRI treatment efficacy. To analyze whether cortical thickness was sufficient to differentiate responders and non-responders at baseline, we used ROC curve analysis. RESULTS Significant decreases were found in the cortical thickness of the right supplementary motor area (SMA) in MDDs at the baseline (corrected by the Monte Carlo permutation correction, cluster-wise significant threshold at p < 0.025 and vertex-wise threshold at p = 0.001), area under the curve (AUC) = 0.732 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.233-0.399]. In the responder group, the cortical thickness of the right SMA was significantly thinner than in the non-responder group at baseline. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.373, p = 0.044) between the cortical thickness of SMA (0 weeks) and HAMD-17 reductive rate (2 weeks) in the responder group. The results of ROC curve analyses of the responder and non-responder groups were AUC = 0.885 (95% CI = 0.803-0.968), sensitivity = 73.5%, and specificity = 96.6%, and the cutoff value was 0.701. CONCLUSION Lower cortical thickness of the right SMA in MDD patients at the baseline may be a neuroimaging biomarker for MDD diagnosis, and a greater extent of thinner cortical thickness in the right SMA at baseline may predict improved SSRI treatment response. Our study shows the potential of cortical thickness as a possible biomarker that predicts a patient's clinical treatment response to SSRIs in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyi Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Department of Psychiatry, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Aixia Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Department of Mental Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Department of Psychiatry, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Penghong Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yikun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hejun Li
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chunxia Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Kerang Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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22
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Koenig J. Neurovisceral regulatory circuits of affective resilience in youth. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13568. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Koenig
- Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Centre for Psychosocial Medicine University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- KOENIG Group University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy University of Bern Bern Switzerland
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23
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Suh JS, Minuzzi L, Raamana PR, Davis A, Hall GB, Harris J, Hassel S, Zamyadi M, Arnott SR, Alders GL, Sassi RB, Milev R, Lam RW, MacQueen GM, Strother SC, Kennedy SH, Frey BN. An investigation of cortical thickness and antidepressant response in major depressive disorder: A CAN-BIND study report. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 25:102178. [PMID: 32036277 PMCID: PMC7011077 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is considered a highly heterogeneous clinical and neurobiological mental disorder. We employed a novel layered treatment design to investigate whether cortical thickness features at baseline differentiated treatment responders from non-responders after 8 and 16 weeks of a standardized sequential antidepressant treatment. Secondary analyses examined baseline differences between MDD and controls as a replication analysis and longitudinal changes in thickness after 8 weeks of escitalopram treatment. 181 MDD and 95 healthy comparison (HC) participants were studied. After 8 weeks of escitalopram treatment (10-20 mg/d, flexible dosage), responders (>50% decrease in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale score) were continued on escitalopram; non-responders received adjunctive aripiprazole (2-10 mg/d, flexible dosage). MDD participants were classified into subgroups according to their response profiles at weeks 8 and 16. Baseline group differences in cortical thickness were analyzed with FreeSurfer between HC and MDD groups as well as between response groups. Two-stage longitudinal processing was used to investigate 8-week escitalopram treatment-related changes in cortical thickness. Compared to HC, the MDD group exhibited thinner cortex in the left rostral middle frontal cortex [MNI(X,Y,Z=-29,9,54.5,-7.7); CWP=0.0002]. No baseline differences in cortical thickness were observed between responders and non-responders based on week-8 or week-16 response profile. No changes in cortical thickness was observed after 8 weeks of escitalopram monotherapy. In a two-step 16-week sequential clinical trial we found that baseline cortical thickness does not appear to be associated to clinical response to pharmacotherapy at 8 or 16 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee Su Suh
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Luciano Minuzzi
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Pradeep Reddy Raamana
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew Davis
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Geoffrey B Hall
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Harris
- Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Stefanie Hassel
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mojdeh Zamyadi
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen R Arnott
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gésine L Alders
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Roberto B Sassi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Roumen Milev
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Queen's University and Providence Care Hospital, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Raymond W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Glenda M MacQueen
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stephen C Strother
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- Canadian Biomarker Integration Network for Depression, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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24
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Meyer E, Morawa E, Nacak Y, Rösch J, Doerfler A, Forster C, Erim Y. Insular Cortical Thickness in Patients With Somatoform Pain Disorder: Are There Associations With Symptom Severity and Childhood Trauma? Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:497100. [PMID: 33132923 PMCID: PMC7513830 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.497100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies show significant alterations in insular cortical thickness in patients with somatoform pain disorder (SPD). Additionally, associations between childhood maltreatment and morphometric alterations in insular cortex have been observed. Since patients with SPD often report about adverse childhood experiences, we were interested in the interrelationship of exposure to childhood maltreatment and insular cortical thickness in patients with SPD. METHODS Fifteen adult patients with SPD (ICD-10 F 45.40/41, DSM-Code 307.80) and thirteen healthy adult controls underwent T1-weighted MR brain imaging. In the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis we compared whole brain cortical thickness between patients and controls using a Student's two-sampled t-test (p < .05). Then we performed a secondary analysis to detect differences in cortical thickness levels in the insular cortex between both groups. For further analysis of differences in insular cortical thickness we used gender, age, depressive symptoms [Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9], and whole brain cortical thickness as nuisance covariates. Subsequently we explored associations between insular cortical thickness, symptom severity (PHQ-15) and past experiences of childhood maltreatment (CTQ) in both groups. RESULTS Patients showed reduced insular cortical thickness in a subregion of right Brodmann area (BA) 13 (anterior part of the insular cortex), whereas whole brain cortical thickness did not differ between groups. The between-group difference in the identified insular subregion of right BA 13 was not diminished by any of the covariates. This implies that the reduction in cortical thickness in the identified insular subregion might be due to a specific group effect. The effect sizes indicate that the group of patients experienced more childhood maltreatment than the control group. Nonetheless, significant correlations of insular cortical thickness with symptom severity and childhood maltreatment in the total collective could not be demonstrated for the group of patients. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that alterations in the identified insular subregion of right BA 13 are associated with somatoform pain, independent of gender, age, or coincident depression levels. To identify significant associations of insular cortical thickness and experiences of childhood maltreatment in patients with SPD investigations within larger samples are highly recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Meyer
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Eva Morawa
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yeliz Nacak
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julie Rösch
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arnd Doerfler
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Clemens Forster
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yesim Erim
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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25
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Saricicek Aydogan A, Oztekin E, Esen ME, Dusmez S, Gelal F, Besiroğlu L, Zorlu N. Cortical thickening in remitters compared to non-remitters with major depressive disorder following 8-week antidepressant treatment. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2019; 140:217-226. [PMID: 31250445 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little is known about the relationship between antidepressant treatment outcomes and underlying neurobiological mechanisms in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this prospective study, we aimed to investigate how cortical thickness and subcortical volumes differed between remitter and non-remitter patients with MDD. METHODS Fifty-eight patients with MDD with a score of at least 17 on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and free of medication for at least 2 months and 41 healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. At the baseline, patients with MDD started on either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or vortioxetine. After 8-week antidepressant treatment, patients with MDD were scanned using the same MRI protocol. Structural images were analyzed using the FreeSurfer software package (version 6.0). RESULTS Longitudinal analyses showed remitter patients with MDD had significantly greater right cerebral cortex thickening in six significant clusters, including superior temporal cortex, precuneus, rostral middle frontal cortex, pars opercularis (although the cluster extends into the insula), inferior parietal cortex, and supramarginal cortex than in non-remitter patients with MDD. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that distinct antidepressant treatment-related structural alterations in brain regions implicated in cognition, emotion regulation, and rumination might be associated with treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Saricicek Aydogan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - E Oztekin
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - M E Esen
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Idil State Hospital, Sirnak, Turkey
| | - S Dusmez
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - F Gelal
- Department of Radiodiagnostics, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - L Besiroğlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - N Zorlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey
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Weissman DG, Guyer AE, Ferrer E, Robins RW, Hastings PD. Tuning of brain-autonomic coupling by prior threat exposure: Implications for internalizing problems in Mexican-origin adolescents. Dev Psychopathol 2019; 31:1127-1141. [PMID: 31084645 PMCID: PMC6639798 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579419000646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to threat increases the risk for internalizing problems in adolescence. Deficits in integrating bodily cues into representations of emotion are thought to contribute to internalizing problems. Given the role of the medial prefrontal cortex in regulating bodily responses and integrating them into representations of emotional states, coordination between activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and autonomic nervous system responses may be influenced by past threat exposure with consequences for the emergence of internalizing problems. A sample of 179 Mexican-origin adolescents (88 female) reported on neighborhood and school crime, peer victimization, and discrimination when they were 10-16 years old. At age 17, participants underwent a functional neuroimaging scan during which they viewed pictures of emotional faces while respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and skin conductance responses were measured. Adolescents also reported symptoms of internalizing problems. Greater exposure to threats across adolescence was associated with more internalizing problems. Threat exposure was also associated with stronger negative coupling between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and RSA. Stronger negative ventromedial prefrontal cortex-RSA coupling was associated with fewer internalizing problems. These results suggest the degree of coordinated activity between the brain and parasympathetic nervous system is both enhanced by threat experiences and decreased in adolescents with more internalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Amanda E. Guyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- Department of Psychology, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Richard W. Robins
- Department of Psychology, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul D. Hastings
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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27
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Carnevali L, Mancini M, Koenig J, Makovac E, Watson DR, Meeten F, Critchley HD, Ottaviani C. Cortical morphometric predictors of autonomic dysfunction in generalized anxiety disorder. Auton Neurosci 2019; 217:41-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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