Structural Connectome Architecture Shapes Cortical Atrophy in Major Depressive Disorder: A Chinese DIRECT Consortium...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Cortical morphological changes are observed in major depressive disorder (MDD).
• The neurobiological mechanisms driving the spatial patterns of these alterations are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of the structural connectome in shaping cortical morphological alterations in MDD.
• To identify the epicenters of cortical atrophy in MDD using a network diffusion model.

Main Methods:

• Utilized large-scale, multi-site structural MRI data from Chinese MDD patients and healthy controls.
• Employed a connectome constraint model to assess the influence of structural connectivity on cortical thickness.
• Applied a network diffusion model to pinpoint atrophy epicenters.

Main Results:

• MDD patients exhibited widespread cortical thickness reduction, predominantly in the prefrontal cortex.
• A strong spatial correlation between empirical and estimated cortical alterations confirmed connectome constraint on atrophy.
• The left lateral prefrontal cortex was identified as the primary epicenter of cortical atrophy.
• Connectome constraint decreased with increasing illness duration in MDD subgroups.
• Findings were robust and reproducible in an independent cross-ethnic cohort.

Conclusions:

• The structural connectome plays a significant role in the network-based spread of cortical atrophy in MDD.
• The left prefrontal cortex emerges as a critical target for early therapeutic interventions in MDD.