Clinical Researches
Insular subdivisions functional connectivity in patients with major depressive disorder: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Pan Chen, Feng Chen, Guanmao Chen, Jiaying Gong, Yanbin Jia, Shuming Zhong, Zhangzhang Qi, Shunkai Lai, Li Huang, Ying Wang
Published 2019-10-05
Cite as Chin J Psychiatry, 2019, 52(5): 347-353. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1006-7884.2019.05.009
Abstract
ObjectiveTo provide a basic profile of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in unmedicated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
MethodsFifty unmedicated patients with MDD and 51 healthy controls underwent the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). After preprocessing of rs-fMRI, the seed-based resting-state FC of the insular subdivisions, including the anterior insula, middle insula, and posterior insula, was evaluated. Two-sample t-test and multiple comparison correction of Threshold-Free Cluster Enhancement (TFCE) were used to compare the FC values of each group to locate the regions with significant change, where its correlation to the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD24) scores was also explored.
ResultsIn comparison to the healthy controls, the MDD patients decreased FC between the left anterior insula and bilateral anterior cingulate cortices (t=-4.83, P<0.05, TFCE correction), and increased FC between the left anterior insula and the left middle frontal gyrus, as well as the bilateral posterior cingulate cortices/precuneus (t=4.08, 4.42; both P<0.05, TFCE correction). There were no significant correlations between the HAMD24 scores and the FC values from the left anterior insula to the bilateral anterior cingulate cortices (r=-0.125, P=0.387), the left middle frontal gyrus (r=0.149, P=0.302), and the bilateral posterior cingulate cortices/precuneus (r=-0.207, P=0.148).
ConclusionPatients with depression have abnormal functional connectivity between the left anterior insula and the other two regions, such as the limbic system and the frontal cortex, which may present with an aweakened insula-anterior cingulate gyrus connectivity, and the enhanced insular-frontal, and insula-posterior cingulate/precuneus connectivity.
Key words:
Depressive disorder; Magnetic resonance imaging; Cerebral cortex
Contributor Information
Pan Chen
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Feng Chen
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Guanmao Chen
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Jiaying Gong
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Yanbin Jia
Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Shuming Zhong
Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Zhangzhang Qi
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Shunkai Lai
Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Li Huang
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
Ying Wang
Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
