Influence of Comorbid Anxiety Disorder on Electroencephalographic Asymmetries in Major Depressive Patients : A Preliminary Study

주요우울장애 환자에서 불안 증상이 뇌파의 알파 비대칭에 미치는 영향/예비 연구

  • So, Yoon-Seop (Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jun-Seok (Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine) ;
  • Eom, Su-Hyung (Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jun, Jin-Yong (Settlement Support Center for Dislocated North Koreans, Hana Clinic) ;
  • Oh, Dong-Yul (Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine)
  • 소윤섭 (관동대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실) ;
  • 이준석 (관동대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실) ;
  • 엄수형 (관동대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실) ;
  • 전진용 (북한이탈주민정착지원사무소 하나의원) ;
  • 오동열 (관동대학교 의과대학 정신과학교실)
  • Received : 2008.09.01
  • Accepted : 2008.10.06
  • Published : 2008.10.30

Abstract

Objective : This study examined whether major depressive disorder patients with anxiety traits displayed abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha asymmetries. Methods : Resting EEG was recorded in 11 outpatients with major depressive disorder (6 of whom had a high anxiety trait while 5 exhibited a low anxiety trait) and 6 controls. Results : In contrast to the controls, within the major depressive disorder patient group, comorbid anxiety disorder showed alpha asymmetry indicative of less activation over right than over left temporal sites. Patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder but no anxiety disorder showed a reduced temporal alpha asymmetry, supporting the potential importance of evaluating anxiety in studies of regional brain activation, in depressed patients. Conclusion : These findings suggest that anxiety is associated with brain hypoactivation, especially with right temporal hypoactivation.

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