Initial study of functional MRI on self-focused attention in depression patients
DONG Hai-bo1, MA Xiao-jie2, CHEN Chuan-feng2, LI Ya-di1
1. Department of Radiology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo Zhejiang 315041, China; 2. Department of Psychology, Ningbo University, Ningbo Zhejiang 315211, China
Abstract：Objective: To explore the cerebral activation of depression patients when performing self-focused attention tasks and the correlation between self-focused attention and depression. Methods: Eight depressive patients and nine healthy volunteers underwent fMRI scan using three self-focused attentional patterns stimulus in a block design, SPM8 software was used for image data processing. Comparative brain activation maps between depression patients and healthy volunteers were carried out. Results: The active areas of depressive patients are more extensive than that of healthy volunteers in three target stimulus conditions. For the depressed patients, the active areas in the “I” target stimulus conditions are more extensive than that of “He” and “*” conditions. Conclusion: Depressive patients may have self-focused attentional bias, self-focused attention might be associated with depression.
2013, Vol. 24 
