Neurostimulation is a mainstream treatment option for major depression. Neuromodulation techniques apply repetitive magnetic or electrical stimulation to some neural target but significantly differ in their invasiveness, spatial selectivity, mechanism of action, and efficacy. Despite these differences, recent analyses of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS)-treated individuals converged on a common neural network that might have a causal role in treatment response. We set out to investigate if the neuronal underpinnings of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are similarly associated with this causal depression network (CDN). Our aim here is to provide a comprehensive analysis in three cohorts of patients segregated by electrode placement (N = 246 with right unilateral, 79 with bitemporal, and 61 with mixed) who underwent ECT. We conducted a data-driven, unsupervised multivariate neuroimaging analysis Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the cortical and subcortical volume changes and electric field (EF) distribution to explore changes within the CDN associated with antidepressant outcomes. Despite the different treatment modalities (ECT vs TMS and DBS) and methodological approaches (structural vs functional networks), we found a highly similar pattern of change within the CDN in the three cohorts of patients (spatial similarity across 85 regions: r = 0.65, 0.58, 0.40, df = 83). Most importantly, the expression of this pattern correlated with clinical outcomes (t = −2.35, p = 0.019). This evidence further supports that treatment interventions converge on a CDN in depression. Optimizing modulation of this network could serve to improve the outcome of neurostimulation in depression.
von Leonie Ascone ; Anja Christine Rohenkohl ; René Hurlemann ; Eva Meisenzahl-Lechner ; Steffi Gerlinde Riedel-Heller ; Thomas Becker ; Malek Bajbouj ; Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal ; Jürgen Gallinat ; Martin Lambert
Background:. Affectionate touch, which is vital for mental and physical health, was restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study investigated the association between momentary affectionate touch and subjective well-being, as well as salivary oxytocin and cortisol in everyday life during the pandemic. Methods:. In the first step, we measured anxiety and depression symptoms, loneliness and attitudes toward social touch in a large cross-sectional online survey (N = 1050). From this sample, N = 247 participants completed ecological momentary assessments over 2 days with six daily assessments by answering smartphone-based questions on affectionate touch and momentary mental state, and providing concomitant saliva samples for cortisol and oxytocin assessment. Results:. Multilevel models showed that on a within-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased self-reported anxiety, general burden, stress, and increased oxytocin levels. On a between-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased cortisol levels and higher happiness. Moreover, individuals with a positive attitude toward social touch experiencing loneliness reported more mental health problems. Conclusions:. Our results suggest that affectionate touch is linked to higher endogenous oxytocin in times of pandemic and lockdown and might buffer stress on a subjective and hormonal level. These findings might have implications for preventing mental burden during social contact restrictions. Funding:. The study was funded by the German Research Foundation, the German Psychological Society, and German Academic Exchange Service.
von Juliane K. Müller ; Kira F. Ahrens ; Michael Bauer ; Bernhard T. Baune ; Stefan Borgwardt ; Jürgen Deckert ; Katharina Domschke ; Regina Ellwanger ; Andreas Fallgatter ; Thomas Frodl ; Jürgen Gallinat ; René Gottschalk ; Hans Jörgen Grabe ; Alkomiet Hasan ; Sabine Herpertz ; René Hurlemann ; Frank Jessen ; Joseph Kambeitz ; Tilo Kircher ; Johannes Kornhuber ; Klaus Lieb ; Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg ; Rainer Rupprecht ; Norbert Scherbaum ; Christiane Schlang ; Anja Schneider ; Georg Schomerus ; Andreas Thoma ; Stefan Unterecker ; Martin Walter ; Henrik Walter ; Andreas Reif ; Christine Reif-Leonhard
von Rebekka Schröder ; Eliana Faiola ; Maria Fernanda Urquijo ; Katharina Bey ; Inga Meyhöfer ; Maria Steffens ; Anna-Maria Kasparbauer ; Anne Ruef ; Hanna Högenauer ; René Hurlemann ; Joseph Kambeitz ; Alexandra Philipsen ; Michael Wagner ; Nikolaos Koutsouleris ; Ulrich Ettinger