Objective:To explore the latent class of childhood abuse and recent life stress in adolescent depression patients, and its effect on intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) treatment efficacy.Methods:From August 2023 to February 2024, a total of 60 adolescent patients with depression were enrolled. The Chinese version of the maltreatment and abuse chronology of exposure scale (MACE), adolescent self-rating life events check list (ASLEC), Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS)and suicidal ideation scale 5 (SSI-5)were used to assess all subjects. Using latent class analysis, subjects were divided into different subgroups according to 16 factors of MACE and ASLEC. Brain network analysis was conducted using the Dosenbach brain atlas with 160 regions of interest, which were divided into seven large-scale brain subnetworks: visual network (VN), somatosensory motor network (SMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), subcortical network (SCN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and default mode network (DMN). Brain network functional connectivity analysis was performed using the DPABI plugin on MATLAB R2022b platform to compare differences in functional connectivity at both edge and network levels between subjects. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0 software, employing Shapiro-Wilk test, chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results:Based on latent class analysis, subjects were divided into high abuse-high stress group ( n=38) and low abuse-high stress group ( n=22). At baseline, the high abuse-high stress group showed significantly higher scores in SSI-5 (6.39±2.26 vs 3.45(0, 5.25)), Z=-3.628, P<0.001) and MADRS item 10 (3.00(2.00, 5.00) vs 2.00(0.75, 3.25), Z=-2.794, P=0.005) compared to the low abuse-high stress group, while there was no statistically significant difference in the total score of MADRS between the two groups (27.77±4.19, 26.59±4.74, t=1.972, P=0.053). There was no statistically significant difference in the D-value of MADRS score before and after treatment between the two groups (8.45±6.03, 7.27±5.99, t=0.729, P=0.469) and the D-value of MADRS item 10 score before and after treatment between the two groups (1.00 (0, 3.00), 1.00 (0, 1.00), Z=-1.189, P=0.234). The high abuse-high group showed significantly weakened functional connectivity at the edge level compared to low abuse-high stress group at baseline ( P<0.05, NBS corrected). In the high abuse-high stress group, the mean FC values in the differential brain regions at baseline showed significant negative correlation with baseline suicidal ideation scores ( r=-0.475, P=0.003). Conclusion:The different patterns of childhood abuse and recent life stress affect the baseline clinical presentation and brain network functional connectivity of adolescent depression patients. However, the high abuse-high stress group and low abuse-high stress group showed similar responses to iTBS treatment.

Objective:To explore the latent class of childhood abuse and recent life stress in adolescent depression patients, and its effect on intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) treatment efficacy.Methods:From August 2023 to February 2024, a total of 60 adolescent patients with depression were enrolled. The Chinese version of the maltreatment and abuse chronology of exposure scale (MACE), adolescent self-rating life events check list (ASLEC), Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS)and suicidal ideation scale 5 (SSI-5)were used to assess all subjects. Using latent class analysis, subjects were divided into different subgroups according to 16 factors of MACE and ASLEC. Brain network analysis was conducted using the Dosenbach brain atlas with 160 regions of interest, which were divided into seven large-scale brain subnetworks: visual network (VN), somatosensory motor network (SMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), subcortical network (SCN), frontoparietal network (FPN), and default mode network (DMN). Brain network functional connectivity analysis was performed using the DPABI plugin on MATLAB R2022b platform to compare differences in functional connectivity at both edge and network levels between subjects. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0 software, employing Shapiro-Wilk test, chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results:Based on latent class analysis, subjects were divided into high abuse-high stress group ( n=38) and low abuse-high stress group ( n=22). At baseline, the high abuse-high stress group showed significantly higher scores in SSI-5 (6.39±2.26 vs 3.45(0, 5.25)), Z=-3.628, P<0.001) and MADRS item 10 (3.00(2.00, 5.00) vs 2.00(0.75, 3.25), Z=-2.794, P=0.005) compared to the low abuse-high stress group, while there was no statistically significant difference in the total score of MADRS between the two groups (27.77±4.19, 26.59±4.74, t=1.972, P=0.053). There was no statistically significant difference in the D-value of MADRS score before and after treatment between the two groups (8.45±6.03, 7.27±5.99, t=0.729, P=0.469) and the D-value of MADRS item 10 score before and after treatment between the two groups (1.00 (0, 3.00), 1.00 (0, 1.00), Z=-1.189, P=0.234). The high abuse-high group showed significantly weakened functional connectivity at the edge level compared to low abuse-high stress group at baseline ( P<0.05, NBS corrected). In the high abuse-high stress group, the mean FC values in the differential brain regions at baseline showed significant negative correlation with baseline suicidal ideation scores ( r=-0.475, P=0.003). Conclusion:The different patterns of childhood abuse and recent life stress affect the baseline clinical presentation and brain network functional connectivity of adolescent depression patients. However, the high abuse-high stress group and low abuse-high stress group showed similar responses to iTBS treatment.

The habenula is a pair of tiny brain structures located in the diencephalon, serving as a hub connecting the forebrain and midbrain. It simultaneously regulates the release of dopamine and serotonin in the midbrain. Preclinical research has found that the habenula plays a significant role in physiological functions such as reward, aversion, and motivation, and may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, researches on antidepressant treatments such as ketamine and deep brain stimulation, have indicated that habenula is closely related to the efficacy of these therapies. This article systematically explains the role of the habenula′s volume, activation level, and its neural circuits in the pathological mechanism of depression and antidepressant treatments, while also exploring the prospects of novel therapies targeting the habenula.

The habenula is a pair of tiny brain structures located in the diencephalon, serving as a hub connecting the forebrain and midbrain. It simultaneously regulates the release of dopamine and serotonin in the midbrain. Preclinical research has found that the habenula plays a significant role in physiological functions such as reward, aversion, and motivation, and may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, researches on antidepressant treatments such as ketamine and deep brain stimulation, have indicated that habenula is closely related to the efficacy of these therapies. This article systematically explains the role of the habenula′s volume, activation level, and its neural circuits in the pathological mechanism of depression and antidepressant treatments, while also exploring the prospects of novel therapies targeting the habenula.