Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42037507›Full record

SynthesisPsychological medicine2026

Intrinsic regional brain activity differences and its relationship with neurotransmitter and gene expression in postpartum depression: a voxel-based meta-analysis.

Guanmao Chen, Xinyue Tang, Pan Chen, Ruoyi Chen, Chao Chen, Yongxin Zhang, Zhilong Wang, Fangyun Li, Jianfeng Fei, Danyu Lu and 4 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psychological medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Guanmao ChenMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Xinyue TangDepartment of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital, https://ror.org/00g2rqs52Southwest Medical University, NO.25, Taiping Road, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
Pan ChenMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/02xe5ns62First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China.
Ruoyi ChenMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/02xe5ns62First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China.
Chao ChenMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/02xe5ns62First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China.
Yongxin ZhangMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Zhilong WangMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Fangyun LiMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Jianfeng FeiMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Danyu LuMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Xiuyu WangMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Xuehong XiaoMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
Ying WangMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/02xe5ns62First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou510630, China.
Xiaoxing HuangMedical Imaging Center, https://ror.org/01x5dfh38Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82472057, 81971597, and 82502506
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInconsistent findings persist across resting-state functional imaging studies of regional brain alterations in postpartum depression (PPD), while connections to transcriptional profiles and neurotransmitter systems remain largely uncharacterized.

methodsWe performed a whole-brain voxel-wise meta-analysis of resting-state functional imaging studies comparing PPD patients and healthy controls using SDM-PSI software. JuSpace toolbox analyzed atlas-based nuclear imaging-derived neurotransmitter maps, and transcriptional data were sourced from the Allen Human Brain Atlas.

resultsOur systematic review identified 12 functional imaging studies (475 PPD patients, 504 controls). Patients with PPD displayed increased resting-state functional activity in the left inferior occipital gyrus and left precuneus as well as decreased resting-state functional activity in the right amygdala and left precentral gyrus. These functional alterations spatially overlapped with serotonergic, dopaminergic, and VAChT systems. Transcriptional analysis revealed PPD-related gene enrichments in ion channel function (transmembrane transport, gated/passive channels) and channel complexes.

conclusionsThe meta-analysis revealed functional alterations within the DMN, limbic, and primary sensorimotor systems in PPD patients. These changes were linked to neurotransmitter alterations and genetic modulations underlying brain dysfunction. Collectively, these findings advance mechanistic understanding of PPD pathophysiology.

Indexed as

BrainDepression, PostpartumGene ExpressionNeurotransmitter AgentsAdultAmygdalaFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeurotransmitter Agentsamygdalacation channel activitydopaminergicfunctional magnetic resonance imaginginferior occipital gyrusmeta-analysisneurotransmitter systemspostpartum depressionprecentral gyrusprecuneusserotonergictranscriptional profiles

Identifiers

PMID42037507
PMCPMC13125933

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.