The Queen and I: Neural Correlates of Altered Self-Related Cognitions in Major Depressive Episode
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND Pervasive 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. AIMS To use fMRI to compare the neural correlates of self-referential processing in depressed and non-depressed participants. METHOD Cross-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. RESULTS Both 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. CONCLUSIONS Major depressive episode is associated with specific neurofunctional changes related to self-referential processing.
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