Institutional creator:

Instytut Biologii Doświadczalnej im. Marcelego Nenckiego PAN

Contributor:

Wypych, Marek (1977- ) : Supervisor

Publisher:

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS

Place of publishing:

Warsaw

Description:

158 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm ; Bibliography ; Summary in Polish

Degree name:

PhD in Biological Sciences

Degree discipline :

Biological Sciences

Degree grantor:

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS ; degree obtained: 13.10.2023

Type of object:

Thesis

Abstract:

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) face difficulties in autobiographical memory (AM) recall and emotion regulation (ER). Despite frequent co-occurrence of MDD and BPD, they are rarely studied together and compared to each other, especially using a neuroimaging methodology. The main goal of the dissertation was to compare MDD and BPD in autobiographical memory and emotion regulation processes at behavioral and neural levels.The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study comprised two tasks, carried out with three groups of women: diagnosed with MDD, diagnosed with BPD, and healthy control (HC). The AM task regarded the recall of sad and happy memories. In the ER task participants were instructed to use one of two ER strategies: cognitive reappraisal or mindful acceptance while looking at sad pictures.In the AM task, the MDD group experienced more sadness than the HC after the sad recall, while BPD participants experienced less happiness than HC after the happy recall. No significant differences were found between the MDD and BPD groups. The emotional autobiographical memory recall in all participants taken together led to the engagement of brain regions previously reported as crucial for this process However, there were no significant differences between the groups. The functional connectivity analysis of the main effect of recall revealed significant connections between all the above-mentioned regions involved in autobiographical memory recall for all participants. The only group difference was found between the MDD and BPD groups taken together, and the HC group. During recall of sad and happy memories, the clinical groups had a significantly stronger connection between the left precuneus and the right occipital cortex, as compared to the HC group.In case of the emotion regulation task, the behavioral results showed that each group rated their emotional state as less sad after using either of the strategies than after passively viewing sad pictures. Moreover, ratings of emotional state were less sad after the CR regulation than after MA, even though participants rated themselves as more successful in following MA’s instructions. There were no significant between-group differences in ratings of the emotional state after the strategies. Analysis of the neuroimaging data for both emotion regulation strategies taken together showed broad activations within brain regions previously associated with emotion regulation, such as the thalamus, middle cingulate, prefrontal, occipital, temporal, and insular cortices. No significant between-group differences were found. The functional connectivity analyses did not reveal any significant results.Although the between-group results were mostly statistically insignificant, results of the autobiographical memory task indicate several group differences. The neuroimaging result differentiating the groups showed stronger functional connectivity between the left precuneus and the right occipital cortex during emotional recall in the clinical groups than in the HC group. One possible explanation of this result is that in these disorders vivid autobiographical memory recall requires stronger cooperation of regions engaged in visual imagery (occipital cortex) and in recollection of contextual details (precuneus).

Detailed Resource Type:

PhD Dissertations

Resource Identifier:

oai:rcin.org.pl:239131

Source:

IBD PAN, call no. 20269

Language:

eng

Language of abstract:

pol

Rights:

Rights Reserved - Free Access

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. May be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms

Copyright holder:

Publication made available with the written permission of the author

Digitizing institution:

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Original in:

Library of the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS

Access:

Open