To Go or Not to Go? Differential Activation during Response Inhibition in Major Depressive Disorder
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often the result of a long list of factors, one such factor is a disruption in frontal brain circuitry.More specifically, MDD is characterized by the inability to set shift and inhibit past negative memories, thoughts, and feelings.Based on the literature, it was hypothesized that individuals with MDD will have bilateral frontal hyperactivation and slower response time during behavioral inhibition, as both are thought to be the manifestation of greater effort extended on the part of individuals with MDD to maintain similar accuracy as healthy individuals.The current study used a computer-based inhibitory control (IC) paradigm, the Parametric Go/No-go (PGNG), and functional MRI to illuminate differences in neural activation during response inhibition for MDD versus healthy control participants.The task was administered to 26 healthy controls (Females, n = 17) and 26 subjects with MDD (Females, n = 18).Results indicated no difference in -Go‖ and -No-go‖ target accuracy between the two groups, and significantly slower response time for the MDD group, as well as bilateral frontal hypoactivation in the MDD group.A reduction in response time might be a sign of increased interference in set-shifting, and/or psychomotor slowing, a common symptom of MDD.Likewise, unexpected hypoactivation suggests that the MDD group has an overall decrement in functioning within IC circuitry.Further research is needed to better inform the source and consequences of this neural dysfunction.
Author: Laura Gabriel
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W23074193