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Anxiety symptoms without depression are associated with cognitive control network (CNN) dysfunction: An fNIRS study
Qinqin Zhao1, Zheng Wang2, Caihong Yang3
1Dean's Office, MianYang Teachers' College, Mianyang, China.
Psychophysiology
|March 15, 2024
Summary
Anxiety, even without depression, is linked to lower brain activity in key cognitive control areas. Specifically, reduced oxyhemoglobin in the left frontal eye field and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may indicate anxiety's neural markers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Anxiety frequently co-occurs with depression, complicating research into anxiety's unique neural underpinnings.
- Few studies have investigated the neural mechanisms of anxiety while controlling for comorbid depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in cortical activation in anxiety patients with varying severity, independent of depression levels.
- To identify potential neural markers of anxiety symptoms distinct from depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration in 366 subjects (139 healthy, 117 mild anxiety, 110 major anxiety).
- Assessed anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and cognitive function via a verbal fluency task (VFT).
- Performed correlation and ANOVA analyses to examine relationships between anxiety severity and cortical oxy-Hb levels in specific brain regions.
Main Results:
- Anxiety severity showed a significant negative correlation with oxy-Hb concentrations in the left frontal eye field (lFEF) and right dorsolateral prefrontal area (rDLPFC).
- Individuals with major anxiety disorder exhibited significantly lower oxy-Hb concentrations in the lFEF and rDLPFC compared to healthy controls.
- These findings suggest reduced cortical activity in these regions is associated with anxiety independent of depression.
Conclusions:
- Decreased cortical activity in the lFEF and rDLPFC may serve as neural markers for anxiety symptoms when depression is absent or controlled.
- Anxiety symptoms, even without comorbid depression, might stem from the cognitive control network's (CCN) dysfunction, involving the lFEF and rDLPFC.
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