Researchers find brain activity patterns associated with depression

Individuals who tend to ruminate on negative thoughts are more likely to develop depression and require a prescription to buy Paxil. A new study has shown that these individuals exhibit unique patterns of brain network activation, a finding that could be useful in diagnosing individuals who are at risk for mood disorders.

In the study, researchers from South Central University in Hunan, China, took brain-imaging scans of a group of individuals who had never been diagnosed with depression. The team also administered tests to see which patients exhibited thought patterns associated with depression.

The results showed that individuals who tended to ruminate and to overgeneralize, two modes of thought closely associated with depression, had particular brain activity patterns on the imaging tests that were consistently different, compared to those who did not appear to have cognitive risk factors for depression.

The researchers said the findings could be useful for understanding how activity in certain brain networks influences a person's chances of developing cognitive disorders. Furthermore, these types of tests could help determine which patients may require a prescription to buy Paxil.