Impaired LTD-like motor cortical plasticity in female patients with major depression disorder

Neuropharmacology. 2020 Nov 15:179:108268. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108268. Epub 2020 Aug 10.

Abstract

Backgrounds: Long-term depression (LTD) is a form of physiologic plasticity that is important for reversal learning and may be linked to major depression. Few studies have examined LTP-like plasticity in patients with depression. It is unclear if continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) induced LTD is altered in depression patients.

Methods: Here we recruited 29 healthy control subjects and 31 female patients with depression. We performed cTBS protocol on left motor cortex and employed motor evoked potentials (MEPs) response to measure LTD-like plasticity. Peripheral molecules were measured for correlation analyses to cortical plasticity.

Results: Our results revealed persistent LTD-like plasticity deficits in female patients with depression. LTD-like plasticity was impaired in patients with depression despite the fact that peripheral concentrations of BDNF were comparable to that of healthy subjects.

Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence for impaired LTD-like plasticity in patients with depression which may be an important mechanism linked to the pathophysiology and treatment of this disorder.

Keywords: BDNF; Cortical plasticity; Depression; Human; Motor learning; cTBS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / physiopathology*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / methods
  • Young Adult