Key result
Task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry during emotional challenge outperforms resting asymmetry in identifying lifetime MDD.
Why the study?
Is task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry a more powerful indicator of lifetime MDD status than resting asymmetry?
Case-Control (n=306)
Is task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry a more powerful indicator of lifetime MDD status than resting asymmetry?
Brain activity during emotional challenge, specifically task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry, is a more powerful indicator of lifetime major depressive disorder than resting activity, supporting the capability model.
May better indicate lifetime MDD than resting EEG; hypothesis-generating for capability model, needs prospective validation before any clinical role.
The capability model of frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry suggests that brain activity during emotional challenge will be a more powerful indicator of predispositions toward psychopathology than activity observed at rest. EEG data were assessed during a resting baseline and a facial emotion task, wherein individuals with (n = 143) and without (n = 163) lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) made approach (angry and happy) and withdrawal (afraid and sad) facial expressions. EEG asymmetry during emotional challenge was a more powerful indicator of MDD status than resting asymmetry for average, Cz, and linked mastoid references, results in support of the capability model. However, current-source-density (CSD) transformed asymmetry was indicative of lifetime MDD status under resting and task-elicited conditions. Findings suggest that CSD-transformed data may be more robust indicators of trait frontal EEG asymmetry.
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Stewart et al. (2014) conducted a case-control in Major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=306). Task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry (emotional challenge) vs. Resting baseline EEG alpha asymmetry was evaluated on Indicator of MDD status. Task-elicited prefrontal EEG alpha asymmetry during emotional challenge was a more powerful indicator of lifetime major depressive disorder status than resting asymmetry.
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