Cerebellar responses during anticipation of noxious stimuli in subjects recovered from depression. Functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
BACKGROUND
Subjects recovered from depression have a substantial risk for recurrence of depression, suggesting persistent abnormalities in brain activity.


OBJECTIVE
To test whether women recovered from depression show abnormal brain activity in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a conditioning paradigm with a noxious pain stimulus.


METHODS
Ten unmedicated women who had recovered from major depression and eight healthy control women each received either noxious hot or non-noxious warm stimuli, the onset of which was signalled by a specific coloured light during 3-tesla echo planar imaging-based fMRI.


RESULTS
Similar patterns of brain activation were found during painful stimulation for both patients and healthy controls. However, relative to healthy controls, subjects recovered from depression showed a reduced response in the cerebellum during anticipation of the noxious stimulus compared with anticipation of the non-noxious stimulus.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that abnormal cerebellar function could be a marker of vulnerability to recurrent depression. This could provide a new target for therapeutic interventions.
Smith
K A
KA
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Ploghaus
A
A
Cowen
P J
PJ
McCleery
J M
JM
Goodwin
G M
GM
Smith
S
S
Tracey
I
I
Matthews
P M
PM
D000328:Adult; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012008:Recurrence