For the Depressed, Mothers Matter More | IdeaFeed | Big Think | Science News | Scoop.it

Depressed people react more strongly to photos of their mother than healthy individuals, according to new research. When individuals diagnosed with depression were placed in fMRI machines and shown photos of mom, scientists saw stronger reactions in the left anterior paracingulate gyrus, a brain area that plays an important role in the regulation of social emotion. Images of other family members provoked smaller responses. The technique may provide scientists with an important diagnostic tool.