The subsystem mechanism of default mode network underlying rumination: A reproducible neuroimaging study
Xiao Chen,
Ning-Xuan Chen,
Yang-Qian Shen,
Hui-Xian Li,
Le Li,
Bin Lu,
Zhi-Chen Zhu,
Zhen Fan,
Chao-Gan Yan
Affiliations
Xiao Chen
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Ning-Xuan Chen
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Yang-Qian Shen
Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY, 10023, United States
Hui-Xian Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Le Li
Center for Cognitive Science of Language, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing 100083, China
Bin Lu
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Zhi-Chen Zhu
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Zhen Fan
Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
Chao-Gan Yan
CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; International Big-Data Center for Depression Research, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Corresponding author: Chao-Gan Yan, Ph.D., CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Rumination is a repetitive self-referential thinking style that is often interpreted as an expression of abnormalities of the default mode network (DMN) observed during “resting-state” in major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent evidence has demonstrated that the DMN is not unitary but can be further divided into 3 functionally heterogenous subsystems, although the subsystem mechanistically underlying rumination remains unclear. Due to the unconstrained and indirect correlational nature of previous resting-state fMRI studies on rumination's network underpinnings, a paradigm allowing direct investigation of network interactions during active rumination is needed. Here, with a modified continuous state-like paradigm, we induced healthy participants to ruminate or imagine objective scenarios (distraction, as a control condition) on 3 different MRI scanners. We compared functional connectivities (FC) of the DMN and its 3 subsystems between rumination and distraction states. Results yielded a highly reproducible and dissociated pattern. During rumination, within-DMN FC was generally decreased as compared to the distraction state. At the subsystem level, we found increased FC between the core and medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystem as well as decreased FC between the core and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) subsystem and within the MTL subsystem. Finally, subjects’ behavioral measures of rumination and brooding were negatively correlated with FC between the core and DMPFC subsystems. These results suggest active rumination involves enhanced constraint by the core subsystem on the MTL subsystem and decreased coupling between the core and DMPFC subsystem, allowing for more information exchange among those involved DMN components. Furthermore, the reproducibility of our findings provides a rigorous evaluation of their validity and significance.
