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Cortical haemodynamic response measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy during a verbal fluency task in patients with major depression and borderline personality disorder

Husain SF 1 , Tang TB 2 , Yu R 3 , Tam WW 4 , Tran B 5 , Quek TT 6 Show all authors , Hwang SH 6 , Chang CW 7 , Ho CS 6 , Ho RC 8

Affiliations 

  • 1 Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 2 Centre for Intelligent Signal and Imaging Research (CISIR), University Teknologi PETRONAS, Perak, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 4 Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 5 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States; Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; Center of Excellence in Behavioral Medicine, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • 6 Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 7 Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore
  • 8 Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: pcmrhcm@nus.edu.sg
EBioMedicine, 2020 Jan;51:102586.
PMID: 31877417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.11.047

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides a direct and quantitative assessment of cortical haemodynamic function during a cognitive task. This functional neuroimaging modality may be used to elucidate the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, and identify neurophysiological differences between co-occurring psychiatric disorders. However, fNIRS research on borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been limited. Hence, this study aimed to compare cerebral haemodynamic function in healthy controls (HC), patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and patients with BPD.

METHODS: fNIRS signals during a verbal fluency task designed for clinical assessment was recorded for all participants. Demographics, clinical history and symptom severity were also noted.

FINDINGS: Compared to HCs (n = 31), both patient groups (MDD, n = 31; BPD, n = 31) displayed diminished haemodynamic response in the frontal, temporal and parietal cortices. Moreover, haemodynamic response in the right frontal cortex is markedly lower in patients with MDD compared to patients with BPD.

INTERPRETATION: Normal cortical function in patients with BPD is disrupted, but not as extensively as in patients with MDD. These results provide further neurophysiological evidence for the distinction of patients with MDD from patients with BPD.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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