Neuroimaging Correlates of Depression—Implications to Clinical Practice

Abstract

The growth of the literature about neuroimaging of major depressive disorder (MDD) over the last several decades has contributed to the progress in recognizing precise brain areas, networks, and neurotransmitter processes related to depression. However, there are still doubts about the etiology and pathophysiology of depression that need answering. The authors did a nonsystematic review of the literature using PubMed database, with the following search terms: “major depressive disorder,” “neuroimaging,” “functional imaging,” “magnetic resonance imaging,” “functional magnetic resonance imaging,” and “structural imaging,” being selected the significant articles published on the topic. Anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, orbitomedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala basal ganglia, and the cerebellum were the main affected areas across the selected studies. These areas respond to particular neurotransmitter systems, neurochemicals, hormones, and other signal proteins; even more, the evidence supports a distorted frontolimbic mood regulatory pathway in MDD patients. Despite the positive findings, translation to treatment of MDD remains illusory. In conclusion, this article aims to be a critical review of the neuroimaging correlates of depression in clinical research with the purpose to improve clinical practice.