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World J Clin Cases. Mar 26, 2023; 11(9): 1903-1917
Published online Mar 26, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i9.1903
Functional role of frontal electroencephalogram alpha asymmetry in the resting state in patients with depression: A review
Yu-Hong Xie, Ye-Min Zhang, Fan-Fan Fan, Xi-Yan Song, Lei Liu
Yu-Hong Xie, Ye-Min Zhang, Fan-Fan Fan, Xi-Yan Song, Lei Liu, Psychology College of Teacher Education, Center of Group Behavior and Social Psychological Service, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Xie YH and Liu L wrote the paper; Zhang YM, Fan FF, and Song XY revised the paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the author declare no conflict of interests for this article.
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: Lei Liu, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology College of Teacher Education, Center of Group Behavior and Social Psychological Service, Ningbo University, No. 818 Fenghua Street, Ningbo 315211, Zhejiang Province, China. liulei@nbu.edu.cn
Received: November 23, 2022
Peer-review started: November 23, 2022
First decision: January 17, 2023
Revised: February 10, 2023
Accepted: March 1, 2023
Article in press: March 1, 2023
Published online: March 26, 2023
Processing time: 113 Days and 20.8 Hours
Abstract

Depression is a psychological disorder that affects the general public worldwide. It is particularly important to make an objective and accurate diagnosis of depression, and the measurement methods of brain activity have gradually received increasing attention. Resting electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha asymmetry in patients with depression shows changes in activation of the alpha frequency band of the left and right frontal cortices. In this paper, we review the findings of the relationship between frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in the resting state and depression. Based on worldwide studies, we found the following: (1) Compared with individuals without depression, those with depression showed greater right frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in the resting state. However, the pattern of frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in the resting state in depressive individuals seemed to disappear with age; (2) Compared with individuals without maternal depression, those with maternal depression showed greater right frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in the resting state, which indicated that genetic or experience-based influences have an impact on frontal EEG alpha asymmetry at rest; and (3) Frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in the resting state was stable, and little or no change occurred after antidepressant treatment. Finally, we concluded that the contrasting results may be due to differences in methodology, clinical characteristics, and participant characteristics.

Keywords: Depression; Frontal electroencephalogram alpha asymmetry; Frontal asymmetry; Resting state; Neurological indicator

Core Tip: Researchers have paid more attention to the functional role of frontal electroencephalogram alpha asymmetry (FAA) in the resting state in individuals with depression. In this paper, we review the findings of the relationship between FAA in the resting state and depression. Individuals with clinical depression showed greater right FAA in the resting state. The pattern of FAA in the resting state in individuals with clinical depression seemed to disappear with age. Individuals with maternal depression showed greater right FAA in the resting state. There was little or no change in FAA in the resting state after antidepressant treatment.