Understanding of Neural Mechanism of Mood Disorders: Focused on Neuroimaging Findings.
- Author:
Yoo Ra KIM
1
;
Kyoung Uk LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea. mindcure@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Mood disorders;
Depression;
Bipolar disorder;
Neuroimaging
- MeSH:
Bipolar Disorder;
Brain;
Depression;
Endophenotypes;
Mood Disorders;
Neural Pathways;
Neuroimaging;
Neurosciences;
Neurotransmitter Agents
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry
2011;18(1):15-24
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Mood disorder is unlikely to be a disease of a single brain region or a neurotransmitter system. Rather, it is now generally viewed as a multidimensional disorder that affects many neural pathways. Growing neuroimaging evidence suggests the anterior cingulate-pallidostriatal-thalamic-amygdala circuit as a putative cortico-limbic mood regulating circuit that may be dysfunctional in mood disorders. Brain-imaging techniques have shown increased activation of mood-generating limbic areas and decreased activation of cortical areas in major depressive disorder(MDD). Furthermore, the combination of functional abnormalities in limbic subcortical neural regions implicated in emotion processing together with functional abnormalities of prefrontal cortical neural regions probably result in the emotional lability and impaired ability to regulate emotion in bipolar disorder. Here we review the biological correlates of MDD and bipolar disorder as evidenced by neuroimaging paradigms, and interpret these data from the perspective of endophenotype. Despite possible limitations, we believe that the integration of neuroimaging research findings will significantly advance our understanding of affective neuroscience and provide novel insights into mood disorders.
