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Upper alpha activity during working memory processing reflects abnormal inhibition in major depression
R A Segrave1, R H Thomson, N R Cooper
1Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Victoria, Australia. R.Segrave@alfred.org.au
Journal of Affective Disorders
|June 29, 2010
Summary
Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients show increased alpha activity during working memory (WM) tasks, suggesting enhanced neural inhibition as a compensatory mechanism for cognitive processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Resting-state EEG in major depressive disorder (MDD) reveals alpha band abnormalities.
- The functional relevance of these alpha abnormalities to depressive psychopathology is unclear.
- Alpha activity modulation during cognitive tasks may clarify its role in MDD.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine differences in alpha modulation during working memory (WM) processing in MDD.
- Investigate if alpha activity patterns in MDD align with impaired inhibitory processes.
Main Methods:
- Used event-related synchronization (ERS) in the upper alpha band.
- Examined a modified Sternberg WM task during the retention interval.
- Included 15 acutely depressed and 15 never-depressed female participants.
Main Results:
- MDD participants exhibited greater upper alpha ERS than controls.
- This difference was observed during the information maintenance phase of WM.
- The effect was localized to the left parieto-occipital cortex.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest increased inhibition of irrelevant information during WM in MDD.
- This may represent a neurobiological compensation strategy.
- MDD may necessitate greater neural resources for accurate cognitive performance.
