Scientists have found a brain network that is twice the usual size in people with depression. This network, known as the frontostriatal salience network, plays a role in processing rewards and filtering external stimuli. However, its exact functions remain unclear.

A research team from Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City made this discovery. They believe this finding could lead to new treatments targeting this specific brain network. According to the researchers, the frontostriatal salience network was almost twice as large in people with depression compared to those without.

The expansion was seen across multiple samples. It was caused by shifts in network borders, with different patterns observed in various individuals. These shifts allow the frontostriatal salience network to take over areas typically controlled by other brain networks. Past studies have shown these shifts can be inherited genetically.

The researchers used precision functional mapping to study the brain. This advanced technique provides a detailed view of the brain’s layout. In an initial study, brain scans of 57 people with depression, average age 41, were compared to 37 healthy individuals. The frontostriatal salience network was larger in those with depression. Larger datasets confirmed these results.

Further studies examined a smaller group over 18 months and looked at brain scans of 114 children before and after they were diagnosed with depression. These studies produced similar findings.

The network expansion was stable over time, unaffected by changes in mood, and visible in children before depression began. This suggests the network growth might be a risk factor for depression, rather than a result of it.

Despite the promising findings, researchers emphasize that this area of study is still in its early stages. More research with larger, diverse groups over longer periods is needed to fully understand the link between this brain network and depression.

Still, these findings offer hope. Scientists are learning more about how depression affects the brain and are working toward better treatments. The research team believes this network expansion could help predict the onset of depression and guide future treatment strategies.