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IntroductionMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with low frustration tolerance, which is a risk factor for suicide. Hippocampal structural and functional abnormalities have been documented to play one of the crucial roles in the pathophysiology of depression. Recent studies have revealed functional differentiation of the hippocampus. Thus, activity of the anterior part was shown to be associated with negative affect mediation.ObjectivesTo investigate brain mechanisms of frustration, comparing its impact on anterior hippocampal connectivity in MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs).Methods14 MDD and 14 HC right-handed subjects were included in the study and underwent comprehensive clinical assessment. MDD was diagnosed during psychiatric interview according to ICD-10 criteria. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was additionally used to assess depressive symptoms. The original Stroop test was modified to evoke a state of frustration by administrering impossible task conditions and negative feedback during 10-min functional magnetic resonance scanning session. Psychophysiological interactions were used to analyze left and right anterior hippocampal functional connectivity changes in response to frustration. The resulted Z-maps were adjusted using Z > 2.3 threshold and a (corrected) cluster significance threshold of p = 0.05.ResultsIncreased functional connectivity of the left anterior hippocampus in response to frustration was significantly higher in MDD patients compared to HCs in the pars opercularis of the right prefrontal cortex and bilateral posterior cingulate regions.ConclusionThe results revealed that depressed patients demonstrate abnormally increased anterior hippocampal response to frustration, suggesting that hippocampal-neocortical network impairment may contribute to decreased frustration tolerance associated with MDD

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common mental health problem and it grows greater every year around the world. Aims: The main aims were to analyze the possibility of using functional and structural neuroimaging methods in diagnosis of different depression types and to find the predictors of pharmacological resistance. Materials & methods: 46 patients with depression syndrome were distributed into 3 groups: 1) Neurotic Depression (Diagnosis: Adjustment disorders)-ND group; 2) Endogenous Depression (Diagnosis: Recurrent Depression, Bipolar Affective Disorder-current depressive episode, Schizoaffective disorder, depressive type)-PD group, 3) Depression due to organic pathology (Diagnosis: Organic depressive disorder, Organic mixed affective disorder)-OD group. Controls were 18 years old-and gender-matched healthy participants. We used several methods of functional (positron-emission tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging) and structural (voxel-based morphometry, diffusion-tensor imaging) neuroimaging. Results: We found several functional and structural abnormalities in limbic structures within all three groups. Some of them were the same, some were different. Also we found several functional and structural predictors of pharmacological resistance. Conclusions: We found several functional and structural abnormalities in all three depressive groups. Almost all of them were parts of so-called frontal-subcortical circuits, dysfunction of which, according to the present knowledge, could play crucial role in depression pathogenesis. Summarizing our own results and analyzing the data of our colleagues, we complement a theory of depression pathogenesis and propose an original point of view for neurobiological basis of different types of depressive disorders and its pharmacological resistance.

Introduction: Depressed patients demonstrate low frustration tolerance which increases the risk of suicide and causes difficulties in social adaptation. Resting-state neuroimaging studies revealed abnormalities in "default-mode" network in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). To our knowledge, functional network responsible for frustration has not been investigated in depressed subjects previously. Aim: To investigate functional responses to frustration in MDD subjects and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: 15 subjects with MDD and 15 HCs underwent 10-min fMRI scanning. We used modified Stroop-test to investigate subjects' responses to frustration. There were two sessions: during the first one the subject had to determine the color of the text by pressing corresponding button while scanning; the second one was a "frustrative" part when the subject had to respond within a short period of time. We modified this interval so that it was almost impossible to respond correctly and keep within the allotted time. The subject was being informed on its performance during the test. Independent component analysis was used to isolate the frustration network in each subject. Group maps of the response network were compared. A within-group analysis was performed in the MDD group to explore effects of depression scores on functional connectivity. Results: We revealed differences in limbic functional connectivity patterns during the test perfomance in MDD in comparison to HCs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that low frustration tolerance in depressed patients can be explained by the impaired function of stress-response brain network and reveal perspectives for future research on depression and suicide risk.

Relevance. Combat missions imply high requirements for assessing mental health in military personnel. Among these requirements is the need to include functional assessment taking into account ontogenetic factors, compensatory and sanogenetic processes, personal and adaptive behavioral characteristics. At the same time, a number of authors note that the premorbid period of mental disorders can determine differences in the mental state during the period of manifestation of clinical symptoms.Intention. To investigate the relationship between the parameters of the functional state and the characteristics of the premorbid period of neurotic disorders in military personnel.Methodology. The study involved 78 male servicemen (average age 21.6 ± 2.6 years) with neurotic mental disorders. We studied information about the premorbid period, parameters of mental health functional assessment (bioelectric activity of the brain, cognitive functioning, behavioral characteristics, the global assessment of functioning).Results and Discussion. There were found statistically significant (p < 0.05) weak correlations between the number of adverse factors in the premorbid period and such indicators of the functional state as the severity of electroencephalographic disorders (r = 0.365); maladaptive behavior (r = 0.287), and statistically significant moderate correlation (r = –0.531) with the level of global functioning during the period of the greatest severity of neurotic symptoms.Conclusion. The data obtained in the study will make it possible to improve the forecast of the restoration of the working capacity of servicemen who have suffered from neurotic disorders, as well as the system of professional selection of applicants entering higher military educational institutions.