Depicting Coupling Between Cortical Morphology and Functional Networks in Major Depressive Disorder.

An enduring mystery in neuroscience is the intricate interplay between brain anatomical structure and functional dynamics, particularly in the context of mental disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD). A pivotal scientific question arises: How does the cortical morphology-function coupling (MFC) manifest in MDD, and what insights can this coupling provide into the clinical manifestations of the disorder? To tackle this question, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using high-resolution T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data from a cohort of 830 MDD patients and 853 healthy control (HC). By constructing morphological and functional networks based on cortical gray matter (GM) morphology and regional rs-fMRI time series correlations, respectively, we aimed to quantify MFC by assessing the spatial correspondence between these networks. Results revealed that MDD patients exhibited a spatial hierarchical pattern of MFC similar to HC, with variations in specific networks. Specifically, lower coupling was observed in the visual network (VIS) and sensorimotor network (SMN), while higher coupling was noted in the default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN). Notably, MDD patients demonstrated significantly increased MFC within the VIS, SMN, and dorsal attention network (DAN) compared to HC. Furthermore, altered MFC in the VIS correlated positively with depressive symptom severity. These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential clinical significance of MFC alterations in MDD.