Dysfunctional brain networks have been found in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, to verify this in a more straightforward way, we investigated the intrinsic organization of brain networks in MDD by leveraging the resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (rs-fNIRS). Thirty-four MDD patients (24 females, 38.41 ± 13.14 years old) and thirty healthy controls (22 females, 34.43 ± 5.03 years old) underwent a 10 min rest while their brain activity was recorded via fNIRS. The results showed that MDD patients and healthy controls exhibited similar resting-state functional connectivity. Moreover, the depression group showed lower small-world Lambda (1.12 ± 0.04 vs. 1.16 ± 0.10, p = 0.04) but higher global efficiency (0.51 ± 0.03 vs. 0.48 ± 0.05, p = 0.03) than the control group. Importantly, MDD patients, as opposed to healthy controls, showed a significantly lower nodal local efficiency at the left middle occipital gyrus (0.56 ± 0.36 vs. 0.81 ± 0.20, p_FDR < 0.05), which predicted the level of depression in MDD (r = 0.45, p = 0.01, R² = 0.15). In sum, we found a more integrated brain network in MDD patients with a lower nodal local efficiency at the occipital hub, which could predict depressive symptoms.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and impact on executive function of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents.Methods: A total of 129 adolescents diagnosed with MDD were enrolled in the study. Out of these, 28 adolescents were assigned to the SFBT group, while 25 were part of the Active Control group (AC group), receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy. Executive function, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at baseline, at the time of the third intervention, the sixth intervention, and the 10th intervention.Results: After the third intervention, the scores of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) of the participants in the SFBT group decreased significantly, which had the cumulative effect at the 6th and 10th interventions. The verbal fluency task (VFT) performances of the SFBT group participants yielded significantly higher scores after the third intervention and remained increasing at the 6th and 10th interventions. The AC group steadily decreased after the intervention. Analysis of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data revealed a progressive and significant increase in the average oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the SFBT group compared to the AC group after the 10th intervention.Conclusions: SFBT might improve depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as executive function of adolescent depression.Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2300067909.

Background: It has been well established that psychiatric disorders are often accompanied by cognitive dysfunction. Previous studies have investigated the verbal fluency task (VFT) for detecting executive function impairment in different psychiatric disorders, but the sensitivity and specificity of this task in different psychiatric disorders have not been explored. Furthermore, clarifying the mechanisms underlying variations in executive function impairments across multiple psychiatric disorders will enhance our comprehension of brain activity alternations among these disorders. Therefore, this study combined the VFT and the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the impairment of executive function across psychiatric disorders including anxiety disorder (AD), sleep disorder (SD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods: Two hundred and eight participants were enrolled including 52 AD, 52 SD, 52 MDD and 52 healthy controls (HCs). All participants completed the VFT while being monitored using fNIRS to measure changes in brain oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb).Results: Our results demonstrated that MDD, AD and SD exhibited decreased overall connectivity strength, as well as reduced connected networks involving the frontal and temporal regions during the VFT comparing to HC. Furthermore, the MDD group showed a reduction in connected networks, specifically in the left superior temporal gyrus and precentral gyrus, compared to the AD group.Conclusion: Our study offers neural evidence that the VFT combined with fNIRS could effectively detect executive function impairment in different psychiatric disorders.

Objective: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has a positive effect on patients with depressive disorder, while the underpinning molecular mechanism is unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of rTMS on serum levels of serum amyloid A (SAA) and testosterone in a real-world setting.Materials and methods: In total, ninety-seven patients with depressive disorder were treated with medicine and rTMS (the rTMS group) while 122 patients were treated using the medicine only (the control group). Plasma levels of SAA (n = 52) and testosterone (n = 37) were measured before and after 2 weeks of treatment, and the treatment effect was evaluated by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD).Results: The treatment effect revealed by the percentage of decrease in HAMD in the second week was significantly greater in the rTMS group compared with the control group. No significant difference was found in SAA or testosterone levels between the two groups. However, the percentage of changes in SAA (r = −0.492, p = 0.017) in the second week was significantly correlated with the percentage of decrease in HAMD score in the rTMS group, but not in the control group.Conclusion: Patients with depression benefit more from combined rTMS and medication treatment in this naturalistic study. Changes in SAA level, but not testosterone level, were related to depressive remission after 2 weeks’ combined treatment.

Objective: Family relationship affects personality development and emotional regulation, which might be more pronounced in generalized anxiety (GAD) and major depressive (MD) disorders. Method: Thirty patients with GAD, 31 MD, and 32 healthy volunteers answered the Family Relationship Questionnaire (FRQ), the Parker Personality Measure (PERM), and the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Rating Scales. Results: Compared to healthy controls, both patient groups scored higher on FRQ Paternal Abuse and Paternal Dominance, and lower on Maternal Freedom Release; GAD in addition scored lower on Maternal Abuse and Maternal Dominance. All PERM scale scores except Narcissistic were higher in MD than those in GAD, and all scale scores except Schizotypal and Narcissistic were higher in MD than in controls. Maternal Encouragement was associated with the Paranoid and Schizotypal styles, and Maternal Freedom Release the Avoidant and Borderline in GAD; and Maternal Encouragement the Paranoid, Paternal Dominance the Avoidant, Paternal Freedom Release (-) and Maternal Freedom Release the anxiety, and the Dependent the depression in MD. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates different associations between family relationships and personality traits/ emotional states in MD and GAD, suggesting different forms of family therapy for the two disorders.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1246986.].