The Queen and I: Neural Correlates of Altered Self-Related Cognitions in Major Depressive Episode |
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| Authors: | May Sarsam Laura M Parkes Neil Roberts Graeme S Reid Peter Kinderman |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.; 2. Centre for Imaging Sciences, Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.; 3. Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.; 4. Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.; The University of Melbourne, Australia, |
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| Abstract: | BackgroundPervasive negative thoughts about the self are central to the experience of depression. Brain imaging studies in the general population have localised self-related cognitive processing to areas of the medial pre-frontal cortex.AimsTo use fMRI to compare the neural correlates of self-referential processing in depressed and non-depressed participants.MethodCross-sectional comparison of regional activation using Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI in 13 non-medicated participants with major depressive episode and 14 comparison participants, whilst carrying out a self-referential cognitive task.ResultsBoth groups showed significant activation of the dorsomedial pre-frontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex in the ‘self-referent’ condition. The depressed group showed significantly greater activation in the medial superior frontal cortex during the self-referent task. No difference was observed between groups in the ‘other-referent’ condition.ConclusionsMajor depressive episode is associated with specific neurofunctional changes related to self-referential processing. |
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