Resting-state functional changes in the precuneus within first-episode drug-naive patients with MDD

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading psychiatric disorder that has a lack of biomarkers for a diagnosis. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the structural and functional change in the precuneus within first-episode drug naive patients with MDD. METHODS: Thirty-two first episode drug-naive patients with MDD and thirty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in this study; the structural MRI and fMRI data were collected using the 3.0 T Trio Siemens System. All the patients were interviewed using the HAMD-17. RESULTS: The difference between gray matter volume within the two groups was not observed. Results indicated that the low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF) and regional homogeneity values of the precuneus within first-episode drug-naive patients with MDD were lower than the HCs. In addition, the fALFF value of the MDD was negatively and statistically significantly correlated with the HAMD-17 total score (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The current study found abnormal activity of the precuneus at resting state in first-episode drug-naive patients with MDD, indicating that activity within the precuneus may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of MDD.