Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2021 May;55(5):485-493. doi: 10.1177/0004867420976856. Epub 2020 Dec 10.
Patients with major depressive disorder tend to exhibit poorer decision-making capacity than the general population, but neurobiological evidence is lacking. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy monitors changes in oxy-haemoglobin concentration in the cerebral cortex. It may provide an objective assessment of neurophysiological responses during decision-making processes. Thus, this study investigated the effect of major depressive disorder diagnosis and severity on prefrontal cortex activity during the Iowa gambling task.
Right-handed healthy controls ( = 25) and patients with major depressive disorder ( = 25) were matched for age, gender, ethnicity and years of education in this cross-sectional study. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals and the responses made during a computerised Iowa gambling task were recorded. In addition, demographics, clinical history and symptom severity were noted.
Compared to healthy controls, patients with major depressive disorder had reduced haemodynamic response in several cortical regions of the frontal lobe (Hedge's range from 0.71 to 1.52; values range from ⩽0.001 to 0.041). Among patients, mean oxy-haemoglobin declined with major depressive disorder severity in the right orbitofrontal cortex (Pearson's = -0.423; = 0.024).
Haemodynamic dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex during decision-making processes is associated with major depressive disorder diagnosis and severity. These neurophysiological alterations may have a role in the decision-making capacity of patients with major depressive disorder.
与普通人群相比，患有重度抑郁症的患者往往表现出较差的决策能力，但缺乏神经生物学证据。功能性近红外光谱监测大脑皮层氧合血红蛋白浓度的变化。它可以提供决策过程中神经生理反应的客观评估。因此，本研究调查了重度抑郁症诊断和严重程度对 Iowa 赌博任务期间前额叶皮层活动的影响。
在这项横断面研究中，将右利手健康对照者（n=25）与重度抑郁症患者（n=25）按年龄、性别、种族和受教育年限相匹配。记录功能性近红外光谱信号和计算机化 Iowa 赌博任务期间的反应。此外，还记录了人口统计学、临床病史和症状严重程度。
与健康对照组相比，重度抑郁症患者的额叶几个皮质区域的血液动力学反应减弱（Hedge's 范围从 0.71 到 1.52； 值范围从 ⩽0.001 到 0.041）。在患者中，右眶额皮质的平均氧合血红蛋白随重度抑郁症严重程度而下降（Pearson's = -0.423； = 0.024）。
决策过程中前额叶皮层的血液动力学功能障碍与重度抑郁症的诊断和严重程度有关。这些神经生理学改变可能在重度抑郁症患者的决策能力中起作用。
