Dysconnectivity of a brain functional network was associated with blood inflammatory markers in depression

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.226
• Publication Date: 2021-08-25T03:12:38Z
• Authors: Athina R. Aruldass; Manfred G. Kitzbi...; Sarah E. Morgan; Sol Lim; Mary-Ellen Lynall; Lorinda Turner; Petra Vertes; Jonathan Cavanagh; Phil Cowen; Carmine M. Pariante; Neil A. Harrison; Edward T. Bullmore
• Keywords: Depression; Posterior cingulate

There is increasing evidence for a subgroup of major depressive disorder (MDD) associated with heightened peripheral blood inflammatory markers. In this study, we aimed to understand the mechanistic brain-immune axis in inflammation-linked depression by investigating associations between functional connectivity (FC) brain networks and immune markers depression. Resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (C-reactive protein; CRP, interleukin-6; IL-6 cells) were collected on N = 46 healthy controls (HC; CRP ≤ 3 mg/L) 83 cases depression, stratified further into low (loCRP cases; mg/L; 50) high (hiCRP > 33). two-part analysis, network-based statistics (NBS) was firstly used ascertain whole-brain FC differences HC vs hiCRP cases. Secondly, investigated association network interconnected regions continuous measures (N 83), 72), neutrophils CD4+ T-cells 36) only. Case-control NBS testing revealed single abnormally attenuated compared controls. Connections within mainly located left insula/frontal operculum posterior cingulate cortex, which assigned ventral attention default mode canonical fMRI respectively. Within-group analysis across all cases, secondarily demonstrated that identified significantly negatively scaled neutrophils. The findings suggest inflammation disruption deemed critical interoceptive signalling, e.g. accurate communication bodily signals such as states brain, implications pathogenesis