Neural activation of anxiety and depression in children and young people: A systematic meta-analysis of fMRI studies

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies consistently demonstrate altered neural activation in youth experiencing anxiety and depression a way that is distinct from adult-onset disorders. However, there paucity of research systematically reviewing this, no meta-analyses have been conducted using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE). The present study systematic literature search to identify fMRI (age 4-18) with or 48 over 2000 participants were identified met the inclusion criteria. Significant foci extracted. Five ALE conducted: a) for both disorders depression; b) only; c) d) deactivation e) depression. Results indicated significant clusters increased bilateral amygdala internalising disorders, specifically those extended into dorsal anterior cingulate, entorhinal cortex, putamen, medial lateral globus pallidus These findings help detail nature being an hyperactivity disorder, whilst also defining distinction between patterns