Research progress of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting treatment efficacy for major depressive disorder

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BAI Chendan GU Xuan DING Shuang

Cite this article as: BAI C D, GU X, DING S. Research progress of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting treatment efficacy for major depressive disorder[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(3): 131-138. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.03.019.

Abstract

[Abstract] Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, chronic, and relapsing mental illness. In recent years, both its incidence and suicide rates have risen steadily. The pathogenesis of MDD involves complex interactions among genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors. Currently, efficacy assessment relies primarily on clinicians' experience and subjective rating scales, which hinders the advancement of personalized precision medicine. With the rapid development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), therapeutic outcomes can now be objectively evaluated using diverse imaging biomarkers, including brain structural volume, cortical thickness, white matter integrity, functional connectivity, and neurometabolite levels. However, previous studies have largely focused on unimodal approaches. Complicated by the high clinical heterogeneity of the disease, the predictive efficacy and reproducibility of various biomarkers remain controversial, making it difficult to directly guide personalized treatment decisions. This review systematically synthesizes the research progress of multi-modal MRI technologies in predicting treatment efficacy for MDD. It specifically addresses current research status, methodological limitations, and the impact of clinical heterogeneity. The aim is to provide theoretical insights and future directions for establishing robust imaging biomarkers to guide personalized treatment strategies for MDD.

[Keywords] major depressive disorder；mental illness；magnetic resonance imaging；treatment efficacy prediction；therapeutic effect

Contributor Information

BAI Chendan GU Xuan DING Shuang^*

Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830054, China

Corresponding author: DING S, E-mail: dingshuangxxx@163.com

Conflicts of interest None.

Publication Information

Received 2025-10-22

Accepted 2026-01-04

DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.03.019

Text

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