Imbalance of default mode and regulatory networks during externally focused processing in depression. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015 May;10(5):744-51
Date
10/03/2014Pubmed ID
25274576Pubmed Central ID
PMC4420753DOI
10.1093/scan/nsu117Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85003238713 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 45 CitationsAbstract
Attentional control difficulties likely underlie rumination, a core cognitive vulnerability in major depressive disorder (MDD). Abnormalities in the default mode, executive and salience networks are implicated in both rumination and attentional control difficulties in MDD. In the current study, individuals with MDD (n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 16) completed tasks designed to elicit self-focused (ruminative) and externally-focused thinking during fMRI scanning. The MDD group showed greater default mode network connectivity and less executive and salience network connectivity during the external-focus condition. Contrary to our predictions, there were no differences in connectivity between the groups during the self-focus condition. Thus, it appears that when directed to engage in self-referential thinking, both depressed and non-depressed individuals similarly recruit networks supporting this process. In contrast, when instructed to engage in non-self-focused thought, non-depressed individuals show a pattern of network connectivity indicative of minimized self-referential processing, whereas depressed individuals fail to reallocate neural resources in a manner consistent with effective down regulation of self-focused thought. This is consistent with difficulties in regulating self-focused thinking in order to engage in more goal-directed behavior that is seen in individuals with MDD.
Author List
Belleau EL, Taubitz LE, Larson CLAuthor
Christine Larson PhD Associate Professor in the Psychology department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultDepressive Disorder, Major
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Female
Functional Laterality
Gyrus Cinguli
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Nerve Net
Prefrontal Cortex
