title: Effects of behavioural activation on the neural basis of other perspective self-referential processing in subthreshold depression: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been demonstrated that negatively distorted self-referential processing, in which individuals evaluate one's own self, is a pathogenic mechanism in subthreshold depression that has a considerable impact on the quality of life and carries an elevated risk of developing major depression. Behavioural activation (BA) is an effective intervention for depression, including subthreshold depression. However, brain mechanisms underlying BA are not fully understood. We sought to examine the effect of BA on neural activation during other perspective self-referential processing in subthreshold depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 56 subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans during a self-referential task with two viewpoints (self/other) and two emotional valences (positive/negative) on two occasions. Between scans, while the intervention group (n = 27) received BA therapy, the control group (n = 29) did not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention group showed improvement in depressive symptoms, increased activation in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and increased reaction times during other perspective self-referential processing for positive words after the intervention. Also, there was a positive correlation between increased activation in the dmPFC and improvement of depressive symptoms. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between improvement of depressive symptoms and increased reaction times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BA increased dmPFC activation during other perspective self-referential processing with improvement of depressive symptoms and increased reaction times which were associated with improvement of self-monitoring function. Our results suggest that BA improved depressive symptoms and objective monitoring function for subthreshold depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiota
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jinnin
authors.affiliation: Department of Language Sciences,Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences,Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University,Hiroshima,Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamawaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012649:Self Concept; D000068356:Self-Control; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behavioural activation; dorsal medial prefrontal cortex; monitoring function; subthreshold depression