Open AccessFunctional plasticity of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex in depression reorganized by electroconvulsive therapy: Validation in two independent samples
Author(s) -
Bai Tongjian,
Wei Qiang,
Zu Meidan,
Xie Wen,
Wang Jiaojian,
GongJun Ji,
Yu Fengqiong,
Tian Yanghua,
Wang Kai
Publication year - 2019
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.24387
Subject(s) - electroconvulsive therapy , prefrontal cortex , neuroscience , psychology , neuroplasticity , functional magnetic resonance imaging , confounding , depression (economics) , anterior cingulate cortex , resting state fmri , functional connectivity , medicine , cognition , economics , macroeconomics
Previous studies have implied a key role for the prefrontal cortex in the antidepressive effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, there is still ubiquitous inconsistency across these studies, partly due to several confounding effects induced by the use of different samples. Studies with independent samples are necessary for validations to minimize confounding effects. In the current study, resting‐state magnetic resonance imaging of 84 participants was collected using two scanners and two types of scanning parameters. One sample consisted of 28 patients and 23 healthy controls, and the other sample consisted of 33 patients. The local activity (indexed by the amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations) and functional connectivity were used to examine functional plasticity in the two independent samples before and after ECT. Both samples showed increased local activity of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) and enhanced connectivity of the DMPFC with the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) following ECT. The enhanced connectivity between the DMPFC and PCC was positively associated with clinical improvement for both samples. These findings provide relatively strong evidence to support the functional plasticity of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and reorganization by ECT. The functional plasticity of the DMPFC‐PCC may underlie the antidepressive effect of ECT.