Univeristy of Melbourne - Orygen Research Centre
Investigating the Social Brain: The Neural Basis of the Link between Depressed States and Social Cognition
The Department of Psychology at The University of Melbourne is currently undertaking a study to explore the neural link between depression and social cognition. A common behavioural bias of individuals suffering from major depression is the tendency to withdraw from social interactions. The social isolation with often results, particularly for individuals who lack family and close support networks, antagonises and escalates their depression. This widely observed phenomenon strongly suggests that a change in social cognitive processes accompanies the onset of depression. Utilising functional brain imaging techniques (fMRI), we wish to explore whether individuals with trait vulnerability to depression do indeed show changes in the functional neural circuitry associated with social cognition, compared with healthy controls.
The principle researcher on this study recently proposed an evolutionary model of the function of depressed mood states. This model seeks to explain the close relationship between social cognition, social behaviour, and depressive symptomatology. Recent findings investigating the model support the proposal that depressed mood affects reasoning about social risk, including hypersensitivity to negative social (compared to non-social) outcomes. It has also been found that individuals vulnerable to depression have a characteristic psychophysiological response style to social threat stimuli. Further, in a follow up study it was found that individuals who responded in this characteristic way were more prone to depressive relapse.
The current study aims to further these findings by exploring differences in brain activation between individuals currently suffering from depression, individuals who have previously suffered from depression (but are now well), and controls with no history of mental illness. Thus, it is hoped the findings will provide new insights into the neural link between social cognition and depressed mood, and the clinically vital issue of the detection of vulnerability to depression.
We are seeking individuals currently suffering a major depressive episode, and individuals who have suffered major depression but no longer suffer prominent symptoms of the disorder (i.e. are currently ‘well’), to participate in this study. To be eligible to participate individuals must be aged between 18-50 years, have colour vision and acuity within the normal (or corrected to normal) range and speak English as their preferred language. Participants who also suffer from anxiety are eligible, however the main presentation must be for that of depression i.e. depression with anxiety is fine. Individuals suffering bipolar depression or any other mental illness will not be eligible to participate.
Participation will involve two testing sessions. The first session will take approximately 3 hours and consists of an interview, some questionnaires, and some thinking tasks. Participants receive $20 for this session. The second session involves a 1 hour MRI scan during which they will be required to complete some simple computerized tasks. Participant’s receive a further $40 after this session.
If you would like to make a referral, self-refer, or if you would like further information, please contact Diana Maud (ph 03 9342 3700 or 0421 327 993), Monday – Thursday. All information provided will be kept confidential and secure and will only be disclosed with your permission or when required by law. Only the researchers named below will have access to your information. Any written material, including publication material, will not contain any identifying information.
* Principle Investigators include A/Prof Nick Allen, Clinical Psychologist and Principle Research Fellow; Dr Murat Yucel, Neuropsychologist and Senior Lecturer. Associate Researchers include Prof Christos Pantelis, Co-Director – Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre; Mr Lucas Litewka, Medical Scientist; Ms Diana Maud, Research Assistant.