Work

Resting-State Network Dynamics in Asthma: Interplay Between Depressive Symptoms and Airway Inflammation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Asthma and depression frequently co-occur, potentially worsening each other's symptoms. The salience network (SN) may play a key role in this link, but the roles of the default mode network (DMN) and fronto-parietal network (FPN), as outlined in the triple network theory, remain unclear in the asthma-depression connection. This longitudinal study investigated pre-to-post changes in graph-theory metrics within and between the three networks in individuals with asthma, and how these relate to depressive symptoms. Twenty-four individuals with asthma underwent fMRI scans pre- and post-segmental allergen challenge. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline using the Beck Depression Inventory. Changes in graph-theory metrics were analyzed using regions-of-interest (ROI)-to-ROI analyses, controlling for sex. Allergen challenge led to changes in network properties. Within-network analyses showed decreased degree centrality (β = 0.50, p -FDR = .004) and betweenness centrality (β = 0.10, p -FDR = .025) of the PCC (DMN), and reduced degree centrality of the ACC (SN), which correlated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.05, p -FDR = .017). Between-network analyses showed reduced closeness centrality in the bilateral LP during SN-DMN interaction (right: β = 0.23, p -FDR = .010; left: β = 0.23, p -FDR = .013), and increased degree centrality in the left PPC during SN-FPN interactions (β = -0.10, p -FDR = .038), which correlated with depressive symptoms. Allergen challenge alters graph-theory metrics within and between resting-state networks, with changes linked to depression symptoms. Findings highlight the SN’s critical role in network switching and its vulnerability to inflammation in asthma-depression connection.

Source: Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100527