The Role of Amygdala in Patients With Euthymic Bipolar Disorder During Resting State

The current study aims to explore the functional changes of the amygdala in patients with euthymic Bipolar Disorder (BD) using resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Twenty-one euthymic patients with bipolar disorder and 28 healthy controls participated in this study. Two of the euthymic patients with BD and three of the healthy controls were excluded due to excessive head motion. We found that patients with euthymia (38.79 ± 12.03) show higher fALFF (fractional Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation) value of the amygdala (t = 2.076, P = 0.044), and lower functional connectivity between the amygdala and supplementary motor area (p < 0.01, GRF corrected) than healthy controls (33.40 ± 8.21). However, euthymic patients did not show a differential activity in ReHo (Regional Homogeneity) and gray matter of the amygdala region as compared to healthy controls. Thus, despite the absence of clinical symptoms in euthymic patients with BD, the amygdala functional activity and its connectivity to other brain regions remain altered. Further investigation of negative emotions and social functioning in euthymic patients with BD are needed and can help pave the way for a better understanding of BD psychopathology

Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Development of Recurrent Major Depression in Chinese Women

Background Our prior study in Han Chinese women has shown that women with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are at increased risk for developing major depression (MD). Would this relationship be found in our whole data set? Method Three levels of CSA (non-genital, genital, and intercourse) were assessed by self-report in two groups of Han Chinese women: 6017 clinically ascertained with recurrent MD and 5983 matched controls. Diagnostic and other risk factor information was assessed at personal interview. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression. Results We confirmed earlier results by replicating prior analyses in 3,950 new recurrent MD cases. There were no significant differences between the two data sets. Any form of CSA was significantly associated with recurrent MD (OR 4.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) [3.19–5.24]). This association strengthened with increasing CSA severity: non-genital (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.58–3.15), genital (OR 5.24, 95% CI 3.52–8.15) and intercourse (OR 10.65, 95% CI 5.56–23.71). Among the depressed women, those with CSA had an earlier age of onset, longer depressive episodes. Recurrent MD patients those with CSA had an increased risk for dysthymia (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.11–2.27) and phobia (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.09–1.80). Any form of CSA was significantly associated with suicidal ideation or attempt (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.20–1.89) and feelings of worthlessness or guilt (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–2.02). Intercourse (OR 3.47, 95%CI 1.66–8.22), use of force and threats (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.05–3.82) and how strongly the victims were affected at the time (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.20–1.64) were significantly associated with recurrent MD

Associations of Educational Attainment, Occupation, Social Class and Major Depressive Disorder among Han Chinese Women

Background The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is higher in those with low levels of educational attainment, the unemployed and those with low social status. However the extent to which these factors cause MDD is unclear. Most of the available data comes from studies in developed countries, and these findings may not extrapolate to developing countries. Examining the relationship between MDD and socio economic status in China is likely to add to the debate because of the radical economic and social changes occurring in China over the last 30 years. Principal findings We report results from 3,639 Chinese women with recurrent MDD and 3,800 controls. Highly significant odds ratios (ORs) were observed between MDD and full time employment (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.25–0.46, logP = 78), social status (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77–0.87, logP = 13.3) and education attainment (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.86–0.90, logP = 6.8). We found a monotonic relationship between increasing age and increasing levels of educational attainment. Those with only primary school education have significantly more episodes of MDD (mean 6.5, P-value = 0.009) and have a clinically more severe disorder, while those with higher educational attainment are likely to manifest more comorbid anxiety disorders. Conclusions In China lower socioeconomic position is associated with increased rates of MDD, as it is elsewhere in the world. Significantly more episodes of MDD occur among those with lower educational attainment (rather than longer episodes of disease), consistent with the hypothesis that the lower socioeconomic position increases the likelihood of developing MDD. The phenomenology of MDD varies according to the degree of educational attainment: higher educational attainment not only appears to protect against MDD but alters its presentation, to a more anxious phenotype

Resting-state fMRI data of patients who first diagnosed as major depression and healthy controls

This dataset consists of anatomical data and resting-state fMRI data of 3 groups of subjects: 1)the BP group: including 14 patients who were first diagnosed as major depression but later experienced at least 1 mania/hypomania episode during 5 years of follow-up period; 2)the MD group: including 14 patients who were first diagnosed as major depression but have never experienced any mania/hypomania episodes during 5 years of follow-up period; 3)the CN group: including 14 healthy controls who have never experienced any depressive or mania/hypomania episodes during 5 years of follow-up period

Gut microbiota composition in depressive disorder: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression

Abstract Studies investigating gut microbiota composition in depressive disorder have yielded mixed results. The aim of our study was to compare gut microbiome between people with depressive disorder and healthy controls. We did a meta-analysis and meta-regression of studies by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Ovid, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and PsycINFO for articles published from database inception to March 07, 2022. Search strategies were then re-run on 12 March 2023 for an update. We undertook meta-analyses whenever values of alpha diversity and Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes (relative abundance) were available in two or more studies. A random-effects model with restricted maximum-likelihood estimator was used to synthesize the effect size (assessed by standardized mean difference [SMD]) across studies. We identified 44 studies representing 2091 patients and 2792 controls. Our study found that there were no significant differences in patients with depressive disorder on alpha diversity indices, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes compared with healthy controls. In subgroup analyses with regional variations(east/west) as a predictor, patients who were in the West had a lower Chao1 level (SMD −0.42[−0.74 to −0.10]). Subgroup meta-analysis showed Firmicutes level was decreased in patients with depressive disorder who were medication-free (SMD −1.54[−2.36 to −0.72]), but Bacteroidetes level was increased (SMD −0.90[0.07 to 1.72]). In the meta-regression analysis, six variables cannot explain the 100% heterogeneity of the studies assessing by Chao1, Shannon index, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Depleted levels of Butyricicoccus, Coprococcus, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, Romboutsia, and enriched levels of Eggerthella, Enterococcus, Flavonifractor, Holdemania, Streptococcus were consistently shared in depressive disorder. This systematic review and meta-analysis found that psychotropic medication and dietary habit may influence microbiota. There is reliable evidence for differences in the phylogenetic relationship in depressive disorder compared with controls, however, method of measurement and method of patient classification (symptom vs diagnosis based) may affect findings. Depressive disorder is characterized by an increase of pro-inflammatory bacteria, while anti-inflammatory butyrate-producing genera are depleted

Functional connectivity between the thalamus and the primary somatosensory cortex in major depressive disorder: a resting-state fMRI study

Abstract Background Studies have confirmed that the thalamus and the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) are associated with cognitive function. These two brain regions are closely related in structure and function. The interactions between SI and the thalamus are of crucial significance for the cognitive process. Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) have significant cognitive impairment. Based on these observations, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to investigate whether there is an abnormality in the SI-thalamic functional connection in MDD. Furthermore, we explored the clinical symptoms related to this abnormality. Methods We included 31 patients with first-episode major depressive disorder and 28 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls (HC). The SI-thalamic functional connectivity was compared between the MDD and HC groups. The correlation analyses were performed between areas with abnormal connectivity and clinical characteristics. Results Compared with healthy subjects, the MDD patients had enhanced functional connectivity between the thalamus and SI (p < 0.05, corrected). Brain areas with significantly different levels of connectivity had a negative correlation with the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status total score (r = − 0.383, p = 0.033), delayed memory score (r = − 0.376, p = 0.037) and two-digit continuous operation test score (r = − 0.369, p = 0.041) in MDD patients. Conclusions These results demonstrate that SI-thalamic functional connectivity is abnormal and associated with the core clinical symptoms in MDD. The SI-thalamic functional connectivity functions as a neurobiological feature and potential biomarker for MDD