Open AccessAltered resting‐state activity in seasonal affective disorder
Author(s) -
Abou Elseoud Ahmed,
Nissilä Juuso,
Liettu Anu,
Remes Jukka,
Jokelainen Jari,
Takala Timo,
Aunio Antti,
Starck Tuomo,
Nikkinen Juha,
Koponen Hannu,
Zang YuFeng,
Tervonen Osmo,
Timonen Markku,
Kiviniemi Vesa
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.22164
Subject(s) - functional magnetic resonance imaging , resting state fmri , psychology , brain activity and meditation , cognition , audiology , functional connectivity , functional imaging , neuroscience , medicine , electroencephalography
At present, our knowledge about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is based mainly up on clinical symptoms, epidemiology, behavioral characteristics and light therapy. Recently developed measures of resting‐state functional brain activity might provide neurobiological markers of brain disorders. Studying functional brain activity in SAD could enhance our understanding of its nature and possible treatment strategies. Functional network connectivity (measured using ICA‐dual regression), and amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (ALFF) were measured in 45 antidepressant‐free patients (39.78 ± 10.64, 30 ♀, 15 ♂) diagnosed with SAD and compared with age‐, gender‐ and ethnicity‐matched healthy controls (HCs) using resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging. After correcting for Type 1 error at high model orders (inter‐RSN correction), SAD patients showed significantly increased functional connectivity in 11 of the 47 identified RSNs. Increased functional connectivity involved RSNs such as visual, sensorimotor, and attentional networks. Moreover, our results revealed that SAD patients compared with HCs showed significant higher ALFF in the visual and right sensorimotor cortex. Abnormally altered functional activity detected in SAD supports previously reported attentional and psychomotor symptoms in patients suffering from SAD. Further studies, particularly under task conditions, are needed in order to specifically investigate cognitive deficits in SAD. Hum Brain Mapp 35:161–172, 2014. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.