Li Jiaxin, Li Xingxing, Liu Junyao, Wei Shuochi, Zhou Dongsheng, Wang Dongmei, Zhang Xiangyang
CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Ningbo Key Laboratory for Physical Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Psychological Disorders, Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University (Ningbo Kangning Hospital), Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2025 Jan 10;136:111184. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111184. Epub 2024 Nov 15.
Cognitive impairment is a common clinical symptom of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Transcranial magnetic stimulation-evoked potentials (TEPs) detect cortical excitability and connectivity and provide potential biomarkers for MDD patients and their cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships between clinical symptoms, cognitive function, and electrophysiological marker TEPs in patients with MDD.
A total of 117 participants were recruited, including 59 MDD patients and 58 healthy controls. Clinical symptoms were assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and cognitive functioning was assessed by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). TEPs were recorded by transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG).
MDD patients exhibited lower RBANS total (P < 0.001), immediate memory (P = 0.001), language (P = 0.003), attention (P < 0.001), and delayed memory (P = 0.008) scores than HCs. Patients with MDD had larger amplitudes for N100 (P = 0.040) and N280 (P = 0.037), compared to HCs. Correlation analysis indicated significant correlations between the following RBANS scores and TEPs: language and N45 amplitude (r = 0.222, P = 0.024), language and P60 amplitude (r = 0.278, P = 0.004), attention and P180 amplitude (r = 0.213, P = 0.030), RBANS total score and P30 amplitude (r = 0.198, P = 0.044), visuospatial/constructional index and N100 amplitude (r = -0.272, P = 0.005).
The results of this study indicate that cortical dysfunction and cognitive impairment are present in patients with MDD and that there is a strong correlation between them, suggesting that TEPs detected by the TMS-EEG may be used as a biomarker for MDD patients and their cognitive impairment.
认知障碍是重度抑郁症（MDD）患者常见的临床症状。经颅磁刺激诱发电位（TEPs）可检测皮层兴奋性和连通性，并为MDD患者及其认知障碍提供潜在的生物标志物。本研究旨在探讨MDD患者临床症状、认知功能与电生理标志物TEPs之间的相互关系。
共招募117名参与者，包括59名MDD患者和58名健康对照者。采用汉密尔顿抑郁量表和汉密尔顿焦虑量表评估临床症状，采用可重复神经心理状态评估量表（RBANS）评估认知功能。通过经颅磁刺激联合脑电图（TMS-EEG）记录TEPs。
MDD患者的RBANS总分（P < 0.001）、即刻记忆（P = 0.001）、语言能力（P = 0.003）、注意力（P < 0.001）和延迟记忆（P = 0.008）得分均低于健康对照者。与健康对照者相比，MDD患者的N100（P = 0.040）和N280（P = 0.037）波幅更大。相关性分析表明，RBANS得分与TEPs之间存在显著相关性：语言能力与N45波幅（r = 0.222，P = 0.024）、语言能力与P60波幅（r = 0.278，P = 0.004）、注意力与P180波幅（r = 0.213，P = 0.030）、RBANS总分与P30波幅（r = 0.198，P = 0.044）、视觉空间/结构指数与N100波幅（r = -0.272，P = 0.005）。
本研究结果表明，MDD患者存在皮层功能障碍和认知障碍，且二者之间存在密切相关性，提示TMS-EEG检测的TEPs可作为MDD患者及其认知障碍的生物标志物。
