Synchronous brain networks for passive auditory perception in depressive states: A pilot study

Recent studies have revealed a strong relationship between the default mode network (DMN) and major depression disorder (MDD). The DMN consists of several areas in the brain where activity simultaneously increases during the resting state and is suppressed during cognitive tasks (i.e., DMN suppression). Although the DMN has been evaluated in patients with MDD, it has not been studied in people with self-measured depressive symptoms without medication. Although most studies have used high-demand cognitive tasks, the relationships between MDD and passive sensory tasks remain unclear. Here, we recorded electroencephalograph (EEG) data under two sessions: a resting session and an auditory session. Moreover, we assessed depressive states with a Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score. To reveal the DMN suppression mechanism in the depressive states, we used EEG time-frequency analysis. As a result, the alpha-band phase synchronization in the DMN increased during the resting session and decreased during the auditory session. The results suggest that participants in a depressive state have both an abnormal DMN connectivity and a suppressed DMN connectivity via a passive stimulus. Moreover, we were able to estimate the DMN suppression mechanism during the depressive states: (1) the beta-band phase resetting was found in the auditory and parietal areas via the auditory stimulus; (2) the beta-band transfer entropy from the auditory area to the parietal area was high as information flow among these area; and (3) the beta-band systems (information flow) were synchronized with the alpha-band DMN systems. Although the sample size was small, these results suggest that the DMN systems may already be altered during self-measured depressive symptoms like the early stages of the depressive states.