Altered Resting-State Brain Activity in MDD and Schizophrenia: An ALE Meta-Analysis

This study used Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis to investigate resting-state functional abnormalities in major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SZ). 41 MDD and 35 SZ studies employing ALFF and ReHo were included. Compared with healthy controls (HC), MDD patients showed increased ALFF in the Right Thalamus and Left globus pallidus, and decreased ALFF in the Temporal, Cingulate, and Posterior Cingulate regions. ReHo was elevated in Parietal and limbic areas. SZ showed increased ALFF in the Striatum and Subcallosal Gyrus, and decreased ALFF in visual, somatosensory, and Cerebellar regions, with ReHo increases in the Striatum and decreases in the Insula, Superior Temporal Gyrus, and Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Direct comparisons indicated greater temporal–limbic activity in MDD patients and higher visual–somatosensory activity in SZ patients. No overlapping regions emerged in the conjunction analysis, suggesting distinct neural mechanisms for the two disorders.