Functional MRI markers for treatment-resistant depression: Insights and challenges.
Progress in Brain Research January 1, 2023 Vasileia Kotoula, Jennifer W. Evans, Claire Punturieri et al. 17 citations
Imaging studies of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) have examined brain activity, structure, and metabolite concentrations to identify critical areas of investigation and potential treatment targets. This chapter reviews findings from structural MRI, functional MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Decreased connectivity and metabolite concentrations in frontal brain areas appear to characterize TRD, though results are not consistent across studies. Treatments including rapid-acting antidepressants and transcranial magnetic stimulation have shown some efficacy in reversing these changes while alleviating depressive symptoms. However, few TRD imaging studies exist, often with small sample sizes or varied methods, making firm conclusions difficult. Larger studies with unified hypotheses and data sharing could improve characterization of the illness and identify new treatment targets.