The characteristics of the functional connectivity in subjects with cognitive vulnerability to depression while processing negative information

Objective To examine the patterns of the functional connectivity between the amygdala and other brain regions in subjects with cognitive vulnerability and subjects with major depressive disorder while processing negative information. Methods Using the cognitive style questionnaire (CSQ) and some psychological scales,subjects with cognitive vulnerability (CV,26 subjects) and healthy control subjects (HC,31 subjects) were recruited.Besides,first-episode treatment-free subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD,29 subjects) from outpatients in the psychology clinic were included.All subjects were scanned by functional magnetic resonance imaging (f MRI) while performing an emotional matching task.The functional connectivity patterns between the amygdala and other brain regions were examined for each group. Results The right middle frontal gyrus showed less connectivity with the amygdala in subjects with CV than in HC subjects[Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) :26,40,-12; t=3.88,P<0.001,k=10].The left inferior frontal gyrus showed decreased connectivity with amygdala in MDD patients compared with HC subjects (MNI:-46,24,-12;t=4.20,P<0.001,k=16). Conclusion When viewing negative stimuli,the functional connectivity between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex is decreased in individuals with CV and MDD. Key words: Depressive disorder; Magnetic resonance imaging; Amygdala; Negative cognitive processing; Functional connectivity; Cognitive vulnerability