The gray matter microstructure and psychological resilience in patients with depression: A preliminary study using...

Psychological resilience serves as a crucial protective factor against depression, yet its microstructural neuroimaging correlates remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate gray matter microstructural features associated with psychological resilience levels in patients with depression.

Sixty-four patients with depression underwent diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI). Derived metrics included fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity (AD), isotropic volume fraction (FISO), intracellular volume fraction (FICVF), and orientation dispersion index (ODI). Voxel-based analysis was performed to assess correlations between imaging metrics and resilience scores, followed by partial correlation analysis of significant regional metrics.

Positive correlations with resilience were observed for: AD in the posterior cingulate gyrus (CCG; r = 0.48, p < 0.001), AD in the right dorsal caudate (RDC; r = 0.45, p < 0.001), FA in the right inferior midfrontal gyrus junction (fMFG; r = 0.33, p = 0.009), and FICVF in the left anterior superior parietal lobule (SPL; r = 0.27, p = 0.030). Negative correlation was found for ODI in the right dorsal midfrontal gyrus (dMFG; r = -0.27, p = 0.030). Neurosynth meta-analysis revealed significant functional associations between these brain regions and the following cognitive domains.

Altered psychological resilience in depression shows close associations with gray matter microstructural changes, potentially explaining neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying resilience. These findings provide novel insights for clinical interventions targeting resilience enhancement.