EEG frontal lobe asymmetry as a function of sex, depression severity, and depression subtype

Christopher F Sharpley; Vicki Bitsika; Shabah M Shadli; Emmanuel Jesulola; Linda L Agnew

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114354

EEG frontal lobe asymmetry as a function of sex, depression severity, and depression subtype

Behav Brain Res. 2023 Apr 12:443:114354. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114354. Epub 2023 Feb 18.

Authors

Christopher F Sharpley¹, Vicki Bitsika², Shabah M Shadli², Emmanuel Jesulola³, Linda L Agnew⁴

Affiliations

¹ Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale 2350, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: csharpl3@une.edu.au.
² Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale 2350, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale 2350, New South Wales, Australia; Emmanuel Jesulola is now at Department of Neurosurgery, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁴ Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale 2350, New South Wales, Australia; Linda Agnew is now at Griffith University, Qld, Australia.

PMID: 36801473
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114354

Abstract

To investigate possible contributors to the inconsistent association between frontal lobe asymmetry (FLA) and depression, EEG data were collected across five frontal sites, and examined for their associations with four subtypes of depression (Depressed mood, Anhedonia, Cognitive depression, Somatic depression). One hundred community volunteers (54 males, 46 females) aged at least 18 yr completed standardized scales for depression and anxiety, and gave EEG data under Eyes Open and Eyes Closed conditions. Results indicated that, although there was no significant correlation between the differences in EEG power across each of the five pairs of frontal sites and total depression scores, there were several meaningful correlations (accounting for at least 10% of the variance) between specific EEG site differences data and each of the four depression subtypes. There were also different patterns of association between FLA and the depression subtypes according to sex, and total depression severity. These findings help to explain the apparent inconsistency in previous FLA-depression results, and argue for a more nuanced approach to this hypothesis.

Keywords: Alpha waves; Depression; Depression subtypes; Frontal asymmetry; Sex differences.

MeSH terms

Alpha Rhythm*
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders
Depression*
Electroencephalography
Female
Frontal Lobe
Humans
Male