Aberrant resting-state interhemispheric functional connectivity in patients with postpartum depression
Shufen Zhang1, Wei Wang2, Gang Wang3
1Department of Obstetrics, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250022, China.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is linked to reduced functional connectivity between brain hemispheres, particularly in areas crucial for maternal care. This impairment in brain coordination may underlie the neural mechanisms of PPD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Postpartum depression (PPD) affects maternal mental health.
- Understanding the neural basis of PPD is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity in PPD patients.
- To explore correlations between connectivity changes and PPD clinical severity.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) was calculated to assess interhemispheric synchrony.
- 28 PPD patients and 25 healthy postpartum women were studied.
Main Results:
- PPD patients showed significantly decreased VMHC in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) compared to controls.
- Decreased VMHC in the dmPFC negatively correlated with Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) scores.
Conclusions:
- Functional coordination between homologous brain regions is impaired in PPD.
- Aberrant interhemispheric connectivity within the maternal care network is evident in PPD.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neural mechanisms of PPD.
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