Loss of superiority illusion in bipolar depressive disorder: A combined functional and structural MRI study

Qian Cui; Qin Tang; Yuyan Chen; Wei Sheng; Yang Yang; Di Li; Jiaxin Deng; Yifeng Wang; Fengmei Lu; Huafu Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.034

Loss of superiority illusion in bipolar depressive disorder: A combined functional and structural MRI study

J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Jul:151:391-398. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.034. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Authors

Qian Cui¹, Qin Tang², Yuyan Chen², Wei Sheng², Yang Yang², Di Li², Jiaxin Deng³, Yifeng Wang², Fengmei Lu², Huafu Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: qiancui26@gmail.com.
² The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
³ School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁴ The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: chenhf@uestc.edu.cn.

PMID: 35580402
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.034

Abstract

Superiority illusion (SI) is a positive cognitive bias related to self, manifested as overestimated self-appraisal. Negative self-schema is a core feature of the cognitive model of depression, including bipolar depressive disorder (BDD). However, only little research has explored the impaired self-processing in BDD. The potential alteration of positive self-bias and the corresponding neural mechanism in BDD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the underlying neural mechanism of self-processing in BDD combining task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution T1 structural imaging. Forty-three BDD and forty-eight healthy controls were recruited and underwent a self-related task, where participants were required to evaluate how they compared with their average peers on a serial of positive and negative traits. We defined the ratio of neural activation and gray matter volume (GMV) in a region as the functional-structural coupling index to detect the changes of brain image in BDD. Furthermore, we used moderation analysis to explore the relationship among functional-structural coupling, behavioral scores and depression symptoms. BDD exhibited decreased task activation, GMV, and functional-structural coupling in bilateral anterior insula (AI) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). The associations between functional-structural coupling in the right AI, IPL and negative trait self-rating scores were moderated by depressive symptom severity. The study revealed disturbed self-related processing and provided new evidences to neuropsychological dysfunction in BDD.

Keywords: Bipolar depressive disorder; Function–structure coupling; Moderation analysis; Superiority illusion; Task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bipolar Disorder*
Brain
Depressive Disorder*
Gray Matter / pathology
Humans
Illusions*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging