Enhanced amygdala–cingulate connectivity associates with better mood in both healthy and depressive individuals after sleep deprivation

Abstract

Sleep loss robustly disrupts mood and emotion regulation in healthy individuals but can have a transient antidepressant effect in a subset of patients with depression. The neural mechanisms underlying this paradoxical effect remain unclear. Previous studies suggest that the amygdala and dorsal nexus (DN) play key roles in depressive mood regulation. Here, we used functional MRI to examine associations between amygdala- and DN-related resting-state connectivity alterations and mood changes after one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD) in both healthy adults and patients with major depressive disorder using strictly controlled in-laboratory studies. Behavioral data showed that TSD increased negative mood in healthy participants but reduced depressive symptoms in 43% of patients. Imaging data showed that TSD enhanced both amygdala- and DN-related connectivity in healthy participants. Moreover, enhanced amygdala connectivity to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) after TSD associated with better mood in healthy participants and antidepressant effects in depressed patients. These findings support the key role of the amygdala–cingulate circuit in mood regulation in both healthy and depressed populations and suggest that rapid antidepressant treatment may target the enhancement of amygdala–ACC connectivity.

An overview of mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of sleep and depression disorders in the elderly

“…Habitual short sleep duration may be associated with decreased amygdala reactivity, possibly as a compensatory mechanism for impaired prefrontal processes and hampered emotion regulation [105]. Enhanced amygdala connectivity to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) following total sleep deprivation was associated with improved mood in healthy participants and antidepressant effects in depressed patients, implying that the amygdala-cingulate circuit plays a critical role in mood regulation in both healthy and depressed populations, and suggesting that rapid antidepressant treatment may target the enhancement of amygdala-ACC connectivity [106]. Furthermore, age-related changes associated with decreased emotional perception may contribute to depressed states [85].…”

The new science of sleep: From cells to large-scale societies

“…Within the brain, sleep loss increases limbic reactivity and decreases functional connectivity (Glossary) between the medial prefrontal cortex and limbic structures, thereby diminishing emotion regulation capabilities ( Fig 3A ) [ 133 , 144 – 147 ]. Notably, the neural circuit connecting the amygdala to the anterior cingulate cortex has recently been shown to protect against mood disruption triggered by one night of sleep deprivation in both healthy individuals and those with depression [ 145 ]. Such findings indicate that changes to amygdala connectivity following a lack of sleep have a significant role in shaping both emotion and mood regulation without sleep.…”