Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation in First-onset Major Depressive Disorder by Antidepressant Treatment Investigated with Resting-state Functional MRI

Purpose: To detect amplitude of low frequency fluctuation(ALFF) in patients with first-onset major depressive disorder and identify changes caused by antidepressant treatment.Methods: Thirteen patients with first onset major depressive disorder(MDD)and 14 normal age-matched volunteers underwent resting-state functional MRI and all the patients underwent scanning twice during an 8-week period.ALFF were processed using REST and SPM2 to compare resting-state function in whole brain between the two groups.Results: Patients with MDD had decreased ALFF in default-mode network compared with control groug(P0.001,uncorrected).Symptomatic improvement after antidepressant was associated with reversion of the ALFF decreased areas in the right anterior cingulated cortex,right laterial inferior frontal cortex,right orbital frontal cortex,right temporal lobe,and bilateral posterior cingulated cortex(P0.05,uncorrected).Conclusion:Changes in ALFF maps of resting-state function associated with symptomatic improvement indicate that ALFF may be a useful surrogate marker of antidepressant treatment response.