title: Decreased functional connectivity to posterior cingulate cortex in major depressive disorder.
abstract: The default mode network (DMN) and its interaction with other key networks such as the salience network and executive network are keys to understand psychiatric and neurological disorders including major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we combined independent component analysis and seed based connectivity analysis to study the posterior default mode network between 20 patients with MDD and 25 normal controls, as well as pre-treatment and post-treatment conditions of the patients. Both correlated and anti-correlated networks centered at the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) were examined (PCC+ and PCC-). Our results showed aberrant functional connectivity of the PCC+ and PCC- networks between patients and normal controls. Specifically, normal controls exhibited significantly higher connectivity between the PCC and frontal/temporal regions for the PCC+ network and stronger connectivity strength between the PCC and the insula/middle frontal cortex for the PCC- network. The overall connectivity strength of the PCC+ and PCC- networks was also significantly lower in MDD. Because the PCC is a hub in the DMN that interacts with other networks, our result suggested a stronger interaction between the DMN and the salience network but a weak interaction between the DMN and the executive network in MDD. The treatment using sertraline did increase the functional connectivity strength, especially in the PCC+ network. Despite a large inter-subject variability in the overall connectivity strengths and change of the PCC network in response to the treatment, a high correlation between change of connectivity strength and the Hamilton depression score was observed for both the PCC+ and PCC- network.
authors: The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710003, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Gene Related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China; Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an 710003, China.
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Yang
authors: The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710003, China.
authors: Chengge
authors: C
authors: Gao
authors: The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710003, China; Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an 710003, China.
authors: Xiaoping
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710003, China; Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an 710003, China.
authors: Junle
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Key Laboratory of Environment and Gene Related Diseases, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Forensic Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors: Shengbin
authors: S
authors: Li
authors: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
authors: Hu
authors: H
authors: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020280:Sertraline