Depression Is Associated with the Aberration of Resting State Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage to dementia, with depression being a common comorbidity.
• Depression's impact on MCI progression and its link to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology are not fully understood.
• The default mode network (DMN) is implicated in AD, and its functional connectivity may mediate the relationship between depression and AD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in DMN functional connectivity in amyloid-beta (Aβ)-positive MCI patients with and without depression.
• To explore the relationship between DMN functional connectivity, depression severity, and Aβ deposition in MCI.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 126 Aβ-positive MCI patients was analyzed.
• Patients were divided into two groups: 66 with depression and 60 without.
• Functional connectivity of the DMN was assessed and compared between groups.

Main Results:

• Aβ-positive MCI patients with depression exhibited increased functional connectivity in the anterior DMN compared to those without depression.
• Anterior DMN functional connectivity positively correlated with depression severity.
• No significant correlation was found between anterior DMN functional connectivity and Aβ deposition.

Conclusions:

• Depression significantly influences DMN functional connectivity in Aβ-positive MCI patients.
• Altered DMN functional connectivity associated with depression may represent a key neural mechanism linking depression, Aβ pathology, and AD progression.