Yuhang He, Fengchun Wu, Zhendong Zhang, Shuyun Huang, Wanting Xu, Zixuan Liu, Ling Yang, Kunrong Lin, Jingping Wu, Bingxin Chen, Hehua Li, Kai Wu, Mei F O N G Lam, Yuanyuan Huang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Cognitive impairment shows notable sex-related variability in major depressive disorder (MDD), yet the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear. Using resting-state EEG microstates as an index of large-scale neural dynamics, this study aimed to examine sex differences in microstate characteristics and their associations with cognitive function in MDD.
Methods: A total of 197 first-episode, medication-naïve patients with MDD underwent resting-state EEG recording and cognitive assessment using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. Microstate temporal parameters were extracted for canonical microstate classes (A-D). Between-group comparisons were conducted using independent-samples t-tests with false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and associations between microstate metrics and cognitive performance were examined using Spearman correlations.
Results: Female patients showed significantly poorer WM performance compared with male patients (p_fdr = 0.015), despite comparable demographic and clinical features. Robust sex differences emerged in microstate coverage: males displayed greater coverage of microstates A and B, whereas females exhibited greater coverage of microstate C (all p_fdr < 0.05). Transition probabilities also differed, with males showing higher D → A and lower D → C transitions (both p_fdr = 0.012). Among the microstate metrics demonstrating sex differences, only microstate A coverage was significantly associated with WM performance (r = 0.153, p = 0.032).
Conclusions: These findings reveal sex-specific alterations in intrinsic network dynamics in early-course MDD and suggest that differential engagement of sensory-attentional neural states may contribute to sex-linked vulnerability in WM dysfunction. Microstate parameters may serve as electrophysiological markers for identifying sex-dependent neurocognitive mechanisms in depression.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Affective Disorders publishes papers concerned with affective disorders in the widest sense: depression, mania, mood spectrum, emotions and personality, anxiety and stress. It is interdisciplinary and aims to bring together different approaches for a diverse readership. Top quality papers will be accepted dealing with any aspect of affective disorders, including neuroimaging, cognitive neurosciences, genetics, molecular biology, experimental and clinical neurosciences, pharmacology, neuroimmunoendocrinology, intervention and treatment trials.
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