fMRI Response of Parietal Brain Areas to Sad Facial Stimuli in Mild Depression

Abstract

fMRI markers of mild depression were revealed using standard emotional test. Patients with mild depression and healthy volunteers were asked to determine gender of subjects in photographs with different emotional expressions (neutral, surprise, disgust, confusion, anger, sadness, fear, and joy). The pattern of response to different emotions was universal in both groups and included the largest clusters in the occipital region, as well as a certain volume in the parietal lobes and posterior lateral frontal cortex. In depression group, a lack of activation in the middle cingulate gyrus (bilaterally) and in the postcentral and inferior parietal gyrus (left) in response to presentation of sad faces. For other emotion, no large clusters of intergroup contrasts significant at p<0.05 with FWE correction were revealed. The response of the middle cingulate gyrus and the left inferior parietal lobe can be considered as a potential diagnostic marker of depressive disorders and as the target for neurofeedback.