Cerebellar network changes in depressed patients with and without autism spectrum disorder: A case-control study. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nakamura, Toshinori; Kaneko, Tomoki; Sasayama, Daimei; Yoshizawa, Tomonari; Kito, Yoshihiro; Fujinaga, Yasunari; Washizuka, Shinsuke
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 329(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Cerebellar network -- Depression -- fMRI -- Functional connectivity -- Inferior temporal gyrus; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111596
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Highlights: Differences between non-ASD and ASD groups with depression on fMRI were evaluated. The ASD group showed increased functional connectivity in the cerebellar network. Adding psychotropics showed a similar increase in functional connectivity. fMRI may be able to evaluate differences in depressed patients with and without ASD. Abstract: Pathophysiological difference of depression in patients with and without autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) has not been investigated previously. Therefore, we sought to determine whether there were differences between non-ASD and ASD groups on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in patients with depression. We performed 3T MRI under resting state in 8 patients with depression and ASD and 12 patients with depression but without ASD. The ASD group showed increased functional connectivity in the cerebellar network of the left posterior inferior temporal gyrus and anterior cerebellar lobes compared to the non-ASD group in an analysis of covariance. Adding antipsychotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepines, anxiolytics, hypnotics, or age as covariates showed a similar increase in functional connectivity. Thus, this study found that depressive patients with ASD had increased functional connectivity in the cerebellar network. Our findings suggest that fMRI may be able to evaluate differences in depressed patients with and without ASD.