Item Details

abstract

Depression is a serious, highly heterogenous psychiatric condition with myriad consequences for individuals and society at large. Research into its neural underpinnings is critical in order to better understand the condition and thus improve treatment and prevention. Using the methodology of network science applied to fMRI data, patterns of altered functional connectivity in resting-state brain networks have been observed in depressed individuals. The present study sought to further investigate the nature of these differences by examining community structure and inter-community connectivity in the brains of depressed individuals and healthy controls. Using resting-state fMRI and behavioral data from Depression and Anxiety scales from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), the organization of functional connectivity in the brain was examined in depressed and non-depressed groups. This analysis revealed that when depressed individuals were categorized into subgroups with and without comorbid Anxiety, the solely depressed subgroup showed significantly lower consistency of the default mode network (DMN) compared to the subgroup with comorbid Anxiety. This finding contributes an interesting piece of evidence to the understanding that subtypes of Depression show differing patterns of alteration of functional connectivity, and it emphasizes the importance of considering these distinctions in treatment for Depression, especially those targeting the DMN.

subject

anxiety

default mode network

depression

modularity

network neuroscience

contributor

Frye, Natalie Grace (author)

Dagenbach, Dale (committee chair)

Blumenthal, Terry D (committee member)

Waugh, Christian (committee member)

Laurienti, Paul J (committee member)

date

2021-06-03T08:35:58Z (accessioned)

2021 (issued)

degree

Psychology (discipline)

2023-06-02 (liftdate)

embargo

2023-06-02 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/98791 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

title

Community Organization of Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Depressed Brain

type

Thesis