Guo Xiaojing, Zhang Haifeng, Zeng Biyu, Cai Aoling, Zheng Junjie, Zhou Jingshuai, Gu Yongquan, Wu Minya, Wu Guanhui, Zhang Li, Wang Fei
The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210096, China.
Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215000, China.
Biomedicines. 2025 Apr 21;13(4):1001. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13041001.
Early evaluation of treatment efficacy in adolescents and young adults with major depressive episodes (MDEs) remains a clinical challenge, often delaying timely therapeutic adjustments. Electroencephalography (EEG) alpha traveling waves, particularly those elicited by intermittent photic stimulation (IPS), may serve as biomarkers reflecting neural dynamics. This study aimed to investigate whether IPS-induced alpha traveling waves could predict early treatment outcomes in transitional-aged youth with MDEs. : We recorded EEG signals from 119 patients aged 16-24 years at admission, prior to a standardized two-week treatment regimen. IPS was applied using multiple stimulus frequencies, and alpha traveling waves were analyzed in terms of directionality (forward vs. backward) and hemispheric lateralization. : Alpha traveling wave amplitudes varied across individuals, depending on stimulus frequency and hemisphere. Notably, a higher amplitude of backward alpha traveling waves at 10 Hz IPS in the left hemisphere significantly predicted positive early treatment response. In contrast, forward waves and right hemisphere responses did not show predictive value. : IPS-induced backward alpha traveling waves in the left hemisphere may represent promising EEG biomarkers for early prediction of treatment efficacy in youth with MDEs. These findings offer a potential neurophysiological tool to support personalized treatment strategies and inform future clinical applications in adolescent and young adult depression.
对患有重度抑郁发作（MDEs）的青少年和青年进行治疗效果的早期评估仍然是一项临床挑战，常常会延迟及时的治疗调整。脑电图（EEG）阿尔法行波，特别是那些由间歇性光刺激（IPS）引发的行波，可能作为反映神经动力学的生物标志物。本研究旨在调查IPS诱发的阿尔法行波是否能够预测患有MDEs的过渡年龄青年的早期治疗结果。：我们在标准化的两周治疗方案之前，记录了119名年龄在16 - 24岁的患者入院时的EEG信号。使用多种刺激频率施加IPS，并从方向性（向前与向后）和半球侧化方面分析阿尔法行波。：阿尔法行波的振幅因个体而异，取决于刺激频率和半球。值得注意的是，左半球在10 Hz IPS时向后阿尔法行波的较高振幅显著预测了早期积极的治疗反应。相比之下，向前行波和右半球反应没有显示出预测价值。：左半球中IPS诱发的向后阿尔法行波可能代表了用于早期预测患有MDEs的青年治疗效果的有前景的EEG生物标志物。这些发现提供了一种潜在的神经生理学工具，以支持个性化治疗策略，并为青少年和青年成人抑郁症的未来临床应用提供信息。
