Subtype Classification of Major Depressive Disorder Based on Emotional and Cognitive Brain Networks

Motivation: Major depressive disorder (MDD) demonstrates significant heterogeneity in emotional and cognitive symptoms, yet previous studies have not effectively linked established neurobiological subtypes to specific clinical symptoms. Goal(s): Our goal was to identify neurophysiological subtypes of MDD related to emotional and cognitive symptoms using resting-state functional imaging data. Approach: A meta-analysis was first conducted to identify brain regions associated with emotional and cognitive processing. K-means clustering was then applied to define patient subtypes based on emotional and cognitive network connectivity features. Results: Clustering based on neurobiological data revealed two MDD subtypes corresponding to distinct emotional and cognitive symptoms. Impact: The identification of MDD subtypes related to emotional and cognitive symptoms based on neuroimaging dimensions may provide valuable evidence for understanding the heterogeneity of depression and offer insights into developing personalized treatment strategies.