Subthreshold depression may exist on a spectrum with major depressive disorder: Evidence from gray matter volume and morphological brain network

Zhang, Tianhao; Zhao, Bingcong; Shi, Chuan; Nie, Binbin; Liu, Hua; Yang, Xiaojian; Sun, Yang; Li, Panlong; Lei, Lin; Yang, Xiuyan; Li, Jing; Gao, Xingzhou; Feng, Shixing; Li, Xiang; Sun, Xuming; Pan, Tingting; Feng, Ting; Bao, Ting; Shan, Baoci

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.135

Cited by 20 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…As a subclinical depressive symptom, subthreshold depression (StD) refers to such a depressive state that does not meet the criteria of major depressive disorder (MDD; Cuijpers et al, 2021; Rodríguez et al, 2012) and exists on a continuum between no depressive symptoms and major depression (Angst et al, 2000; Solomon et al, 2001; Tuithof et al, 2018; Zhang et al, 2020). Although previous studies have found that depression is associated with deficits of visual functioning (for a review, Fitzgerald, 2013), most of these studies have focused on MDD patients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the one hand, there are significant differences between StD and MDD in behavioral characteristics (Takagaki et al, 2014), psychotic features (Coryell, 1997), and risk factors (Beekman et al, 1995). Some studies, on the other hand, have supported the notion that StD might exist on a spectrum with MDD (Rodríguez et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2020), rather than as a novel subtype of depression. For these reasons, the first goal of the present study was to investigate whether individuals with StD could have deficits in contrast sensitivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stable abnormalities of contrast discrimination sensitivity in subthreshold depression: A longitudinal study

2022

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Subthreshold depression (StD), as a subclinical state, is highly prevalent and increases the risk for developing major depressive disorder (MDD). Although several studies have reported deficits of contrast sensitivity in MDD patients, it is unclear whether individuals with StD could demonstrate deficits of contrast sensitivity and whether the deficits could remain stable over time. Here we used a contrast discrimination task (a suprathreshold task) and a contrast detection task (a near‐threshold task) to compare contrast sensitivity of the StD group with that of matched non‐depressed controls. For each task, a spatial four‐alternative forced‐choice method and a psychophysical QUEST procedure were used to measure contrast discrimination threshold or contrast detection threshold. Participants performed an initial assessment and a follow‐up assessment 4 months later. Compared to the non‐depressed controls, individuals with StD demonstrated reduced contrast discrimination sensitivity, not only at the initial assessment but also at the follow‐up assessment, indicating a stable abnormality. Contrast discrimination thresholds at the initial assessment did not predict changes of depression symptom severity over time. For contrast detection sensitivity, there was no significant difference between the StD group and non‐depressed controls. We concluded that contrast discrimination testing might provide a trait‐dependent biomarker for depression.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stable abnormalities of contrast discrimination sensitivity in subthreshold depression: A longitudinal study

2022

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“…Individuals with SD have been shown to be in an intermediate position between patients with major depression and healthy individuals, suggesting that SD may exist on a spectrum with major depression ( Rodríguez et al. , 2012 ; Zhang et al. , 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural correlates of negative emotion processing in subthreshold depression

Zhang

et al. 2022

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

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Subthreshold depression (SD) is regarded as a major risk factor for major depression. However, little is known about the neural mechanism of negative emotion processing in SD. The study aimed to examine the differentiate neural correlates for negative emotion processing in SD and health controls (HC) and to investigate changes in functional connectivity in SD compared with HC. BOLD responses of SD and HC were captured while performing a passive viewing task, which comprised a negative condition and a masked condition. A total of 42 SD and 32 HC adolescents participated the study. Between-group comparisons revealed significant reduced activations in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and middle cingulate gyrus. Region of interest (ROI) analyses did not find correlations between contrast values of the ROIs and depressive symptoms. In addition, we found significant increased functional connectivity between the SFG and caudate, pallidum, and insula, which were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms in the SD group (P < 0.05). Altered functional connectivity between the SFG and caudate, pallidum, and insula may underlie the pathology of SD. This is the first study to investigate neural mechanisms of negative emotion processing in SD using task-based fMRI.

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“…Neuroimaging studies have shown both structural and functional asymmetries in clinical depression (Bruder et al, 2017;Thibodeau et al, 2006;Zhang et al, 2018), but much less is known about lateralization differences in the neurobiology of subthreshold depression. Subthreshold symptoms are a risk factor for the development of major depression, and are associated with cognitive, brain changes, and functional deficits, even at a subclinical level (Dotson et al, 2008;Li et al, 2017;Ludvigsson et al, 2019;Tuithof et al, 2018;Zhang et al, 2020). More work is needed to identify brain asymmetries across the depression spectrum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orbitofrontal and Cingulate Thickness Asymmetry Associated with Depressive Symptom Dimensions

Dotson

Taiwo

Minto

et al. 2021

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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Both clinical depression and subthreshold depressive symptoms have been associated with alterations in cortical thickness. Studies have yielded conflicting results regarding whether cortical thinning or cortical thickening best characterize the depressive state. Also unclear is whether cortical thickness differences are lateralized. This study examined the relationship between depressive symptom dimensions and cortical thickness asymmetry in cingulate and orbitofrontal regions. Fifty-four community-dwelling adults between the ages of 18 and 81 years received a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scan and completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Cortical thickness values were extracted for the rostral anterior cingulate, caudal anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, isthmus cingulate, and orbitofrontal cortex. An asymmetry index was calculated for each region. Data were analyzed using separate general linear models for each region, in which the CES-D somatic symptoms, negative affect, and anhedonia subscale scores predicted the asymmetry indices, controlling for age and sex. Higher scores on the anhedonia subscale were associated with right-sided asymmetry in orbitofrontal thickness, whereas higher somatic symptom subscale scores predicted greater left-sided asymmetry in posterior cingulate thickness. Follow-up analyses showed the orbitofrontal effect was specific to the medial, not the lateral, orbitofrontal cortex. These results suggest asymmetries in cortical thickness are apparent at even subthreshold levels of depressive symptoms, as all but five participants were below the CES-D cutoff for clinical depression, and that the relationship varies for different symptom dimensions of depression. Understanding brain asymmetries across the range of depressive symptom severity is important for informing targeted depression treatment.

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Subthreshold depression may exist on a spectrum with major depressive disorder: Evidence from gray matter volume and morphological brain network

Cited by 20 publications

References 69 publications

Stable abnormalities of contrast discrimination sensitivity in subthreshold depression: A longitudinal study

Stable abnormalities of contrast discrimination sensitivity in subthreshold depression: A longitudinal study

Neural correlates of negative emotion processing in subthreshold depression

Orbitofrontal and Cingulate Thickness Asymmetry Associated with Depressive Symptom Dimensions

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