2019 Articles

A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study Of Brain Microstructural Changes Related To Religion And Spirituality In Families At High Risk For Depression

Li, Xuzhou; Weissman, Myrna M.; Talati, Ardesheer; Svob, Connie; Wickramaratne, Priya; Posner, Jonathan; Xu, Dongrong

Introduction: Previously in a three‐generation study of families at high risk for depression, we found that belief in the importance of religion/spirituality (R/S) was associated with thicker cortex in bilateral parietal and occipital regions. In the same sample using functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalograph (EEG), we found that offspring at high familial risk had thinner cortices, increased default mode network connectivity, and reduced EEG power. These group differences were significantly diminished in offspring at high risk who reported high importance of R/S beliefs, suggesting a protective effect.