Neurophysical basis of cognition in depression

Abstract

Recently, numerous brain imaging studies have been performed to clarify the pathophysiology of depression.   These studies suggest that the neural network, physiological function, and their interaction are related to the development of depressive symptoms.   In this article, we present our neuroimaging studies employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)   on the neurophysical basis of depression involving the brain.   At first, because of the influence of stressful life events on depression, sex differences in the cognition of psychosocial stressors, was examined.   The results revealed the importance of prefrontal cortex (PFC)   and amygdala in the cognition of the stressors.   Next, some important changes in the PFC were shown in depression using well-known neuropsychological tasks and originally created tasks related to depressive symptoms.   Moreover, these changes in the brain might be a possible biological marker of the treatment response and functional recovery.   Finally, we focused on the neurophysiological role of serotonin in higher cognitive function in the human brain.   It was found that serotonin differentially regulated reward predictive activities at different time scales in the striatum-PFC network.   From these findings, neurophysical basis of the cognition, the pathophysiology, the treatment of depression were discussed.