Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Feb 19, 2024; 14(2): 276-286
Published online Feb 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i2.276
Neuropathological characteristics of abnormal white matter functional signaling in adolescents with major depression
Xin-Lin Huang, Ju Gao, Yong-Ming Wang, Feng Zhu, Jing Qin, Qian-Nan Yao, Xiao-Bin Zhang, Hong-Yan Sun
Xin-Lin Huang, Qian-Nan Yao, Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154000, Heilongjiang Province, China
Ju Gao, Feng Zhu, Xiao-Bin Zhang, Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215137, Jiangsu Province, China
Yong-Ming Wang, School of Biology & Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215137, Jiangsu Province, China
Jing Qin, Department of Radiology, Shanghai Anting Hospital, Shanghai 20000, China
Hong-Yan Sun, Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215137, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Xin-Lin Huang and Ju Gao.
Co-corresponding authors: Xiao-Bin Zhang and Hong-Yan Sun.
Author contributions: Huang XL, Sun HY, Gao J and Zhang XB conceived the study and drafted the manuscript; Huang XL and Yao QN completed all data collection; Huang XL and Wang YM participated in data analysis and acquired imaging data; Qin J and Zhu F conducted the literature search; All authors contributed to writing and revision of the manuscript, and approved the final version to be published. Huang XL and Gao J, they share co-first authorship, and they have made equal contributions to this paper. They undertook responsibilities for explored research ideas, data collection, data curation, and the writing of the original draft. Sun HY and Zhang XB, they share co-corresponding authorship, and they have made equal contributions to this paper. They were involved in conceptualization, securing funding, supervision, editing and modifying.
Supported by the Suzhou Clinical Medical Center for Mood Disorders, No. Szlcyxzx202109; and Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology for Social Development-General Project, No. BE2022735.
Institutional review board statement: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Suzhou Guangji Hospital.
Informed consent statement: All patients gave informed consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong-Yan Sun, MD, PhD, Chief Doctor, Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, No. 11 Guangqian Road, Suzhou 215137, Jiangsu Province, China. hoya12@126.com
Received: November 23, 2023
Peer-review started: November 23, 2023
First decision: December 6, 2023
Revised: December 13, 2023
Accepted: January 8, 2024
Article in press: January 8, 2024
Published online: February 19, 2024
Core Tip

Core Tip: This groundbreaking study investigates white matter (WM) functional signals in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD), an area often overlooked in research. Utilizing advanced imaging techniques, the study identifies specific abnormalities in WM signals, revealing decreased fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations in key regions and altered regional homogeneity and independent component analysis patterns. Notably, these changes correlate with suicidality scales, indicating a potential link between WM anomalies and severity of depression. The study pioneers a crucial shift in understanding MDD's neuropathogenesis, offering novel insights and support for future research and predictive measures.