Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression

Adolescents comprise one fourth of the world's population, with about 90% of them living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The incidence of depression markedly increases during adolescence, making the disorder a leading cause of disease-related disability in this age group. However,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lucas Battel, Fernanda Cunegatto, Anna Viduani, Helen L. Fisher, Brandon A. Kohrt, Valeria Mondelli, Johnna R. Swartz, Christian Kieling
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-05-01
Series:NeuroImage
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921001427
_version_ 1818594549821341696
author Lucas Battel
Fernanda Cunegatto
Anna Viduani
Helen L. Fisher
Brandon A. Kohrt
Valeria Mondelli
Johnna R. Swartz
Christian Kieling
author_facet Lucas Battel
Fernanda Cunegatto
Anna Viduani
Helen L. Fisher
Brandon A. Kohrt
Valeria Mondelli
Johnna R. Swartz
Christian Kieling
author_sort Lucas Battel
collection DOAJ
description Adolescents comprise one fourth of the world's population, with about 90% of them living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The incidence of depression markedly increases during adolescence, making the disorder a leading cause of disease-related disability in this age group. However, most research on adolescent depression has been performed in high-income countries (HICs). To ascertain the extent to which this disparity operates in neuroimaging research, a systematic review of the literature was performed. A total of 148 studies were identified, with neuroimaging data available for 4,729 adolescents with depression. When stratified by income group, 122 (82%) studies originated from HICs, while 26 (18%) were conducted in LMICs, for a total of 3,705 and 1,024 adolescents with depression respectively. A positive Spearman rank correlation was observed between country per capita income and sample size (rs=0.673, p = 0.023). Our results support the previous reports showing a large disparity between the number of studies and the adolescent population per world region. Future research comparing neuroimaging findings across populations from HICs and LMICs may provide unique insights to enhance our understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying the development of depression.
first_indexed 2024-12-16T11:01:54Z
format Article
id doaj.art-05f9019d816b481192e161caf37075b2
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1095-9572
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-16T11:01:54Z
publishDate 2021-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series NeuroImage
spelling doaj.art-05f9019d816b481192e161caf37075b22022-12-21T22:33:59ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722021-05-01231117865Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depressionLucas Battel0Fernanda Cunegatto1Anna Viduani2Helen L. Fisher3Brandon A. Kohrt4Valeria Mondelli5Johnna R. Swartz6Christian Kieling7Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350 – 400N, Porto Alegre, RS 90035003, BrazilDepartment of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350 – 400N, Porto Alegre, RS 90035003, BrazilDepartment of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350 – 400N, Porto Alegre, RS 90035003, BrazilKing's College London, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom; ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, Virginia Woolf Building, 22 Kingsway, London WC2B 6NR, United KingdomDivision of Global Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, 2120L St NW, Ste 600, Washington DC 20037, United StatesKing's College London, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RT, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, UFRGS, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Division, HCPA, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350 – 400N, Porto Alegre, RS 90035003, Brazil; Corresponding author.Adolescents comprise one fourth of the world's population, with about 90% of them living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The incidence of depression markedly increases during adolescence, making the disorder a leading cause of disease-related disability in this age group. However, most research on adolescent depression has been performed in high-income countries (HICs). To ascertain the extent to which this disparity operates in neuroimaging research, a systematic review of the literature was performed. A total of 148 studies were identified, with neuroimaging data available for 4,729 adolescents with depression. When stratified by income group, 122 (82%) studies originated from HICs, while 26 (18%) were conducted in LMICs, for a total of 3,705 and 1,024 adolescents with depression respectively. A positive Spearman rank correlation was observed between country per capita income and sample size (rs=0.673, p = 0.023). Our results support the previous reports showing a large disparity between the number of studies and the adolescent population per world region. Future research comparing neuroimaging findings across populations from HICs and LMICs may provide unique insights to enhance our understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying the development of depression.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921001427AdolescenceDepressionNeuroimagingIncomeInequalityDeveloping countries
spellingShingle Lucas Battel
Fernanda Cunegatto
Anna Viduani
Helen L. Fisher
Brandon A. Kohrt
Valeria Mondelli
Johnna R. Swartz
Christian Kieling
Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
NeuroImage
Adolescence
Depression
Neuroimaging
Income
Inequality
Developing countries
title Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
title_full Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
title_fullStr Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
title_full_unstemmed Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
title_short Mind the brain gap: The worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
title_sort mind the brain gap the worldwide distribution of neuroimaging research on adolescent depression
topic Adolescence
Depression
Neuroimaging
Income
Inequality
Developing countries
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921001427
work_keys_str_mv AT lucasbattel mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT fernandacunegatto mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT annaviduani mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT helenlfisher mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT brandonakohrt mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT valeriamondelli mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT johnnarswartz mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression
AT christiankieling mindthebraingaptheworldwidedistributionofneuroimagingresearchonadolescentdepression