Background
depressive disorder, MDD, confusion, depressed mood
DISORDER, REMISSION, DYSFUNCTION, CORTEX
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental disorder characterized by significant, persistent depressed mood and cognitive changes [MDD has been associated with structural and functional brain abnormalities [The CEN includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and other regions. In most studies, patients with MDD have reduced CEN activity [The SN includes the insula, amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus, DLPFC, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and precuneus [The DMN includes the mPFC, posterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, and temporal lobe [Among patients with rMDD, the CEN and SN are overactivate when recognizing emotion-related images, possibly indicating residual dysfunction [While, as noted above, symptom remittance may not accurately reflect general improvement among patients with MDD, it may be better reflected by functional recovery [In sum, brain functional network abnormalities may persist in patients with rMDD, with negative impacts. As few studies have evaluated functional networks in rMDD, it is unclear how they change during remission and whether such abnormalities are related to psychosocial dysfunction. Thus, the study aim was to explore this potential recovery mechanism and assessment method in rMDD, to track changes in these processes over time and to determine the relations between ongoing brain functional network abnormalities and psychosocial functioning. According to previous studies, it can be assumed that abnormalities in brain functional networks among those with rMDD, which may be related to psychosocial function, may persist and gradually disappear during remission.Herein, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to explore abnormal FC in patients with rMDD. This task-free neuroimaging method eliminates some of the confusion associated with performance, providing a reliable way to measure baseline brain activity and resting-state FC (rs-FC) [