Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with first-episode depression and control subjects

Objective To explore the abnormal brain activity during resting state in first-episode depressive patients with functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)technique and regional homogeneity (ReHo)method.Methods Thirty-four patients with first-episode major depressive disorder and 34 gender-,age-,and education-matched normal controls received resting-state fMRI scans.Resting-state fMRI data were analyzed using the newly published ReHo approach.Results Compared with control subjects,the ReHo of blood oxygen level dependent signal of depressed patients showed increased in left frontal lobe,orbital-frontal gyri,superior frontal gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,right ventral frontal gyrus and posterior lobe of cerebellum bilateral inferior parietal lobe.On the other hand,decreased ReHo was found in left inferior temporal gyms,right superior temporal gyrus and bilateral posterior cingutate(P＜0.005,K≥10).Conclusion These results supported the abnormal resting-state brain activity in the early stage of MDD and misht be involved in the pathology of MDD. Key words: Depressive disorder;  Magnetic resonance imaging;  Resting state;  Regional homogeneity