Current mood status is associated with future brain MRI readouts, but not the other way around: insights from healthy adults in the UK Biobank

Motivation: The mood status of an individual can influence the brain anatomy and function. Goal(s): We studied whether the mood state is associated with brain structural and functional alteration at 2.25 years follow-up and vice versa. Approach: We focus on the regional brain volumes and task-induced function of the amygdala and primary visual cortex using T1w and task fMRI. Linear models tested for associations between mood and MRI readouts. Results: Baseline mood score is significantly associated with functional activation in the primary visual cortex. However, baseline volume and functional activation in the amygdala and primary visual cortex are not associated with future mood status. Impact: We showed that mood status is associated with future functional activation in the primary visual cortex. However, MRI estimates of anatomy and function in the amygdala and primary visual cortex demonstrated a lack of predictive power for future mood status.