Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
Can J Psychiatry. 2013 Sep;58(9):509-14. doi: 10.1177/070674371305800905.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is primarily characterized by decreased affect and accompanying behavioural consequences, but it is also associated with cognitive dysfunction. Assessment of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and associated event-related potentials (ERPs; derived from averaged EEG activity in response to a stimulus) in the context of MDD has provided insights into the electrocortical abnormalities associated with the disorder. Importantly, EEG and ERPs also have emerged as candidates for predicting and optimizing antidepressant (AD) treatment outcome. This is critical in light of relatively low remission rates or a limited response to initial AD interventions. In contrast to other neuroimaging approaches, EEG and ERPs may be superior for predicting and monitoring AD response, as electrocortical measures are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and have excellent temporal (that is, millisecond) resolution, enabling fine-grained assessment of basic cognitive and emotive processes. This review aims to highlight the most consistently noted EEG and ERP features in MDD, which may one day assist with diagnostic confirmation, as well as the potential clinical utility of specific electrocortical measures in aiding with response prediction.
重度抑郁症（MDD）的主要特征是情绪低落和伴随的行为后果，但它也与认知功能障碍有关。在 MDD 背景下评估脑电图（EEG）活动和相关的事件相关电位（ERPs；源自对刺激的平均 EEG 活动），为与该疾病相关的皮质电异常提供了深入了解。重要的是，EEG 和 ERPs 也已成为预测和优化抗抑郁（AD）治疗效果的候选者。鉴于相对较低的缓解率或对初始 AD 干预的反应有限，这一点至关重要。与其他神经影像学方法相比，EEG 和 ERPs 可能更适合预测和监测 AD 反应，因为皮质电测量相对便宜、易于使用，并且具有出色的时间（即毫秒）分辨率，能够对基本认知和情感过程进行精细评估。本综述旨在强调 MDD 中最一致的 EEG 和 ERP 特征，这些特征将来有一天可能有助于诊断确认，以及特定皮质电测量在帮助预测反应方面的潜在临床效用。
