Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention

Yu Wang,1,* Yuchen Ying,2,* Zili Zhu,1 Li Wang,2 YiLing Yang,2 Li Zhang,2 Wenquan Yu,1 Yichuan Liang,1 Hui Zhang,1 Yunxin Ji,3 Yuning Pan1 1Department of Radiology, THE First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 2Depa...

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Main Authors: Wang Y, Ying Y, Zhu Z, Wang L, Yang Y, Zhang L, Yu W, Liang Y, Zhang H, Ji Y, Pan Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-06-01
Series:Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/dynamic-changes-in-alff-and-dc-in-subthreshold-depression-before-and-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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author Wang Y
Ying Y
Zhu Z
Wang L
Yang Y
Zhang L
Yu W
Liang Y
Zhang H
Ji Y
Pan Y
author_facet Wang Y
Ying Y
Zhu Z
Wang L
Yang Y
Zhang L
Yu W
Liang Y
Zhang H
Ji Y
Pan Y
author_sort Wang Y
collection DOAJ
description Yu Wang,1,* Yuchen Ying,2,* Zili Zhu,1 Li Wang,2 YiLing Yang,2 Li Zhang,2 Wenquan Yu,1 Yichuan Liang,1 Hui Zhang,1 Yunxin Ji,3 Yuning Pan1 1Department of Radiology, THE First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Elderly Health Care and Management, Ningbo College of Health Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuning Pan, Email fyypanyuning@nbu.edu.cn Yunxin Ji, Email janegege123@163.comPurpose: Subthreshold depression (SD) is a highly prevalent mental health condition and a key precursor in major depressive disorder. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) effectively treats SD in clinical settings, but the neuromechanisms behind its success are not fully understood. This study aimed to examine changes in intrinsic brain activity in SD and their further alterations after ICBT intervention.Patients and Methods: Twenty-five individuals with SD and 25 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. SD underwent the same MRI scans and clinical assessments before and after a five-week ICBT intervention. HC underwent a single MRI scan during enrollment. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) are established analytical techniques in the field of neuroimaging to assess intrinsic brain activity. Two-sample and paired-sample t-tests were employed to examine changes in whole-brain ALFF and DC. Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate associations between altered ALFF/DC values and changes in clinical assessment scores in SD.Results: Compared with HC, decreased DC in the right precuneus (PCUN) and increased ALFF in the right insula (INS) were found in SD before ICBT intervention. After ICBT intervention, ALFF in the left hippocampus (HIP) was increased, and DC in the right medial and paracingulate gyri (DCG) was reduced in SD. Altered ALFF values in the left HIP showed a negative correlation with changes in PHQ-9 scores, and a positive correlation with changes in FATS-ReB scores. Altered DC values in the right DCG were positively correlated with changes in CCTS-TR-BhA scores.Conclusion: These findings provide new insights into the altered intrinsic brain activities in SD. More importantly, this study found potential changes in intrinsic activity in brain regions associated with ICBT response to SD, which may help further explore the neuropsychological mechanism underlying the efficacy of ICBT in the future.Keywords: subthreshold depression, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, degree centrality
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spelling doaj-art-f4ab9d347ffc4ea090e4a996eee8f9b52025-08-20T02:24:08ZengDove Medical PressNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment1178-20212025-06-01Volume 21Issue 111611172103668Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT InterventionWang Y0Ying Y1Zhu Z2Wang L3Yang Y4Zhang L5Yu W6Liang Y7Zhang H8Ji Y9Pan Y10RadiologyElderly Health Care and ManagementRadiologyElderly Health Care and ManagementElderly Health Care and ManagementElderly Health Care and ManagementRadiologyRadiologyRadiologyPsychosomatic MedicineRadiologyYu Wang,1,* Yuchen Ying,2,* Zili Zhu,1 Li Wang,2 YiLing Yang,2 Li Zhang,2 Wenquan Yu,1 Yichuan Liang,1 Hui Zhang,1 Yunxin Ji,3 Yuning Pan1 1Department of Radiology, THE First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Elderly Health Care and Management, Ningbo College of Health Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuning Pan, Email fyypanyuning@nbu.edu.cn Yunxin Ji, Email janegege123@163.comPurpose: Subthreshold depression (SD) is a highly prevalent mental health condition and a key precursor in major depressive disorder. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) effectively treats SD in clinical settings, but the neuromechanisms behind its success are not fully understood. This study aimed to examine changes in intrinsic brain activity in SD and their further alterations after ICBT intervention.Patients and Methods: Twenty-five individuals with SD and 25 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. SD underwent the same MRI scans and clinical assessments before and after a five-week ICBT intervention. HC underwent a single MRI scan during enrollment. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) are established analytical techniques in the field of neuroimaging to assess intrinsic brain activity. Two-sample and paired-sample t-tests were employed to examine changes in whole-brain ALFF and DC. Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate associations between altered ALFF/DC values and changes in clinical assessment scores in SD.Results: Compared with HC, decreased DC in the right precuneus (PCUN) and increased ALFF in the right insula (INS) were found in SD before ICBT intervention. After ICBT intervention, ALFF in the left hippocampus (HIP) was increased, and DC in the right medial and paracingulate gyri (DCG) was reduced in SD. Altered ALFF values in the left HIP showed a negative correlation with changes in PHQ-9 scores, and a positive correlation with changes in FATS-ReB scores. Altered DC values in the right DCG were positively correlated with changes in CCTS-TR-BhA scores.Conclusion: These findings provide new insights into the altered intrinsic brain activities in SD. More importantly, this study found potential changes in intrinsic activity in brain regions associated with ICBT response to SD, which may help further explore the neuropsychological mechanism underlying the efficacy of ICBT in the future.Keywords: subthreshold depression, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, degree centralityhttps://www.dovepress.com/dynamic-changes-in-alff-and-dc-in-subthreshold-depression-before-and-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDTSubthreshold depressionInternet-based cognitive behavioral therapyResting-state functional magnetic resonance imagingAmplitude of low-frequency fluctuationDegree centrality
spellingShingle Wang Y
Ying Y
Zhu Z
Wang L
Yang Y
Zhang L
Yu W
Liang Y
Zhang H
Ji Y
Pan Y
Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Subthreshold depression
Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging
Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation
Degree centrality
title Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
title_full Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
title_fullStr Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
title_full_unstemmed Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
title_short Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention
title_sort dynamic changes in alff and dc in subthreshold depression before and after icbt intervention
topic Subthreshold depression
Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging
Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation
Degree centrality
url https://www.dovepress.com/dynamic-changes-in-alff-and-dc-in-subthreshold-depression-before-and-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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