Recognition of disgusted facial expressions in severe depression.
Facial emotion processing was examined in patients with severe depression (n = 68) and a healthy control group (n = 50), using the Facial Expression Recognition Task. A negative interpretation bias was observed in the depression group: neutral faces were more likely to be interpreted as sad and less likely to be interpreted as happy, compared with controls. The depression group also displayed a specific deficit in the recognition of facial expressions of disgust, compared with controls. This may relate to impaired functioning of frontostriatal structures, particularly the basal ganglia.
Douglas
Katie M
KM
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 4345, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
Porter
Richard J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D021641:Recognition, Psychology