%0 Journal Article
%T The Queen and I: Neural Correlates of Altered Self-Related Cognitions in Major Depressive Episode
%A May Sarsam
%A Laura M. Parkes
%A Neil Roberts
%A Graeme S. Reid
%A Peter Kinderman
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2013
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0078844
%X Background Pervasive negative thoughts about the self are central to the experience of depression. Brain imaging studies in the general population have localised self-related cognitive processing to areas of the medial pre-frontal cortex. Aims To use fMRI to compare the neural correlates of self-referential processing in depressed and non-depressed participants. Method Cross-sectional comparison of regional activation using Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI in 13 non-medicated participants with major depressive episode and 14 comparison participants, whilst carrying out a self-referential cognitive task. Results Both groups showed significant activation of the dorsomedial pre-frontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex in the ¡®self-referent¡¯ condition. The depressed group showed significantly greater activation in the medial superior frontal cortex during the self-referent task. No difference was observed between groups in the ¡®other-referent¡¯ condition. Conclusions Major depressive episode is associated with specific neurofunctional changes related to self-referential processing.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0078844