Cited by 956Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesTreatment of Major DepressionNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 39 of the 39 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The functional neuroanatomy of depression: Distinct roles for ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Open access

Koenigs, Michael, Grafman, Jordan·2009·Behavioural Brain Research

DOI 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.03.004PMC PMC2680780

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

A primary aim in the neuroscientific study of depression is to identify the brain areas involved in the pathogenesis of symptoms. In this review, we describe evidence from studies employing various experimental approaches in humans (functional imaging, lesion method, and brain stimulation) that converge to implicate the ventromedial and dorsolateral sectors of prefrontal cortex as critical neural substrates for depression, albeit with distinct functional contributions. The putative roles of ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in depression are discussed in light of the results.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.03.004

Cites

39 of 39 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

An Integrative Theory of Prefrontal Cortex Function
Miller, E. K., & Cohen, J. D. (2001) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.24.1.167 · Cited by 12,803
Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Mayberg, H. S., Lozano, A. M., Voon, V., McNeely, H. E., Seminowicz, D., Hamani, C., Schwalb, J. M., & Kennedy, S. H. (2005) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2005.02.014 · Cited by 4,059
The Organization of Networks within the Orbital and Medial Prefrontal Cortex of Rats, Monkeys and Humans
Ongur, D. (2000) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/10.3.206 · Cited by 2,627
Rethinking feelings: an fMRI study of the cognitive regulation of emotion
Ochsner, K. N., Bunge, S. A., Gross, J. J., & Gabrieli, J. D. E. (2002) · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1162/089892902760807212 · Cited by 2,520
Reciprocal Limbic-Cortical Function and Negative Mood: Converging PET Findings in Depression and Normal Sadness
Mayberg, H. S., Liotti, M., Brannan, S. K., McGinnis, S., Mahurin, R. K., Jerabek, P. A., Silva, J. A., Tekell, J. L., Martin, C. C., Lancaster, J. L., et al. (1999) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.156.5.675 · Cited by 2,416
Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Major Depression: Abnormally Increased Contributions from Subgenual Cingulate Cortex and Thalamus
Greicius, M. D., Flores, B. H., Menon, V., Glover, G. H., Solvason, H. B., Kenna, H., Reiss, A. L., & Schatzberg, A. F. (2007) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.020 · Cited by 2,214
For better or for worse: neural systems supporting the cognitive down- and up-regulation of negative emotion
Ochsner, K. N., Ray, R. D., Cooper, J. C., Robertson, E. R., Chopra, S., Gabrieli, J. D. E., & Gross, J. J. (2004) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.06.030 · Cited by 2,113
The functional neuroanatomy of the human orbitofrontal cortex: Evidence from neuroimaging and neuropsychology
KRINGELBACH, M. (2004) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2004.03.006 · Cited by 1,977
Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements
Koenigs, M., Young, L., Adolphs, R., Tranel, D., Cushman, F., Hauser, M., & Damasio, A. (2007) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature05631 · Cited by 1,545
Self-citation
Reduction of Prefrontal Cortex Glucose Metabolism Common to Three Types of Depression
Baxter, L. R. (1989) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1989.01810030049007 · Cited by 1,320

Flagged first, then by citations

Show all 39 references

Sorted by citations

Items 501–600 of 953

Sportaktivität, Stress und das Gehirn
Ludyga, S. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-49322-9_11 · Cited by 14
Left DLPFC activity is associated with plasma kynurenine levels and can predict treatment response to escitalopram in major depressive disorder
Kamishikiryo, T., Okada, G., Itai, E., Masuda, Y., Yokoyama, S., Takamura, M., Fuchikami, M., Yoshino, A., Mawatari, K., Numata, S., et al. (2022) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences · doi:10.1111/pcn.13373 · Cited by 15
Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Magnetic Seizure Therapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review
Cai, D.-B., Yang, X.-H., Shi, Z.-M., Nie, S., Xu, R., Qin, X., Huang, X., Huang, X., & Zheng, W. (2023) · Journal of Personalized Medicine · doi:10.3390/jpm13030449 · Cited by 15
“target region is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which has been implicated with the pathophysiology and treatment of MDD [49].”
BackgroundInfluential
Gray and white matter abnormalities in major depressive disorder patients and its associations with childhood adversity
Kang, W., Kang, Y., Kim, A., Kim, H., Han, K., & Ham, B. (2023) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.145 · Cited by 17
Prefrontal hypoactivation induced via social stress is more strongly associated with state rumination than depressive symptomatology
Int-Veen, I., Fallgatter, A. J., Ehlis, A., & Rosenbaum, D. (2023) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-41403-y · Cited by 16
Self-bias modulates saccadic control
Yankouskaya, A., Palmer, D., Stolte, M., Sui, J., & Humphreys, G. W. (2016) · Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1080/17470218.2016.1247897 · Cited by 15
“…implications in neuropsychological studies—for example, in patients with lesions affecting brain regions shown to be related to self-biases (van den Bos & Güroğlu, 2009) and the frontal eye fields (Machado & Rafal, 2004), and in patients suffering from depression (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009).”
Background
The effect of 5-HTTLPR and a serotonergic multi-marker score on amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex reactivity and habituation in a large, healthy fMRI cohort
Piel, J. H. A., Lett, T. A. P., Wackerhagen, C., Plichta, M. M., Mohnke, S., Grimm, O., Romanczuk‐Seiferth, N., Degenhardt, F., Tost, H., Witt, S. H., et al. (2018) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.12.014 · Cited by 15
Is Psychiatric Depression a Presenting Neurologic Sign of Meningioma? A Critical Review of the Literature with Causative Etiology
Kessler, R. A., Loewenstern, J., Kohli, K. M., & Shrivastava, R. K. (2018) · World Neurosurgery · doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2018.01.074 · Cited by 16
Endogenous TRPV1 expression in the human cingulate- and medial frontal gyrus
Roet, M., Jansen, A. H. P., Hoogland, G., Temel, Y., & Jahanshahi, A. (2019) · Brain Research Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.07.018 · Cited by 15
State-Dependent Entrainment of Prefrontal Cortex Local Field Potential Activity Following Patterned Stimulation of the Cerebellar Vermis
Tremblay, S. A., Chapman, C. A., & Courtemanche, R. (2019) · Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnsys.2019.00060 · Cited by 15
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder
Tang, V. M., Foll, B. L., Blumberger, D. M., & Voineskos, D. (2021) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci12010048 · Cited by 16
“In MDD, the DLPFC has a key role in executive and cognitive control of negative emotion through reappraisal and suppression strategies [101].”
Background
Shared brain and genetic architectures between mental health and physical activity
Zhang, W., Paul, S. E., Winkler, A. M., Bogdan, R., & Bijsterbosch, J. D. (2022) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-022-02172-w · Cited by 15
“Additionally, the dlPFC is known to be involved in emotion regulation [78–80] and dysfunction of this region is often seen in abnormal processing of emotional experiences in patients with depressive and anxiety symptoms [81, 82].”
Background
Altered Brain Function in Drug-Naïve Major Depressive Disorder Patients With Early-Life Maltreatment: A Resting-State fMRI Study
Xu, Z., Zhang, J., Wang, D., Wang, T., Zhang, S., Ren, X., Zhu, X., Kamiya, A., Fang, J., & Qu, M. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00255 · Cited by 15
“DLPFC is involved in emotional process during the suppression stage, and increased FC was reported in vmPFC (25) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) (26).”
Background
Common and unique connectivity at the interface of motor, neuropsychiatric, and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease: A commonality analysis
Lang, S., Ismail, Z., Kibreab, M., Kathol, I., Sarna, J., & Monchi, O. (2020) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.25084 · Cited by 14
“…2013), attention (Bishop, 2009), and goal maintenance (Wagner, Maril, Bjork, & Schacter, 2001), while also being associated with depression (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009), anxiety (Schmidt, Khalid, Loukas, & Tubbs, 2018), psychosis (Colibazzi et al., 2016) and addiction (Goldstein & Volkow,…”
β-lactolin increases cerebral blood flow in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial
Ano, Y., Kobayashi, K., Hanyuda, M., & Kawashima, R. (2020) · Aging · doi:10.18632/aging.103951 · Cited by 15
“Dysfunction of the DLPFC is associated with schizophrenia [29], depression [30], stress [31], and Alzheimer’s disease [32].”
A Computational Model Integrating Multiple Phenomena on Cued Fear Conditioning, Extinction, and Reinstatement
Mattera, A., Pagani, M., & Baldassarre, G. (2020) · Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnsys.2020.569108 · Cited by 15
A cell type-specific mechanism driving the rapid antidepressant effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation
Gongwer, M. W., Qi, A., Enos, A. S., Mora, S. A. R., Solakoğlu, S. T., Ahmed, R. N., Klune, C. B., Shari, M., Kashay, A. Q., Williams, O. H., et al. (2026) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2025.12.040 · Cited by 24
Frontostriatal circuitry as a target for fMRI-based neurofeedback interventions: A systematic review
Orth, L., Meeh, J., Gur, R. C., Neuner, I., & Sarkheil, P. (2022) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.933718 · Cited by 14
“, 2015),MDD (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009; Furman et al., 2011), schizophrenia (Callicott et al.”
Neural signal variability relates to maladaptive rumination in depression
Philippi, C. L., Leutzinger, K., Pessin, S., Cassani, A., Mikel, O., Walsh, E. C., Hoks, R. M., Birn, R. M., & Abercrombie, H. C. (2022) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.070 · Cited by 14
Stimulating human prefrontal cortex increases reward learning
Overman, M. J., Sarrazin, V., Browning, M. D., & O’Shea, J. (2023) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120029 · Cited by 15
Cortical and subcortical morphological alterations in postpartum depression
Yang, W., Jiang, Y., Ma, L., Xiao, M., Liu, M., Ren, Z., Zhang, Y., & Hu, L. (2023) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114414 · Cited by 15
“Evidence has shown that abnormalities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are associated with depression [50], and lesions in this area have also been found in PPD.”
Background
Coupled changes between ruminating thoughts and resting-state brain networks during the transition into adulthood
Marchitelli, R., Martinot, M. P., Trouvé, A., Banaschewski, T., Bokde, A. L. W., Desrivières, S., Flor, H., Garavan, H., Gowland, P. A., Heinz, A., et al. (2024) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41380-024-02610-9 · Cited by 16
Disentangling introspective and exteroceptive attentional control from emotional appraisal in depression using fMRI: A preliminary study
Smith, R. S., Baxter, L. C., Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2016) · Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.01.009 · Cited by 17
“For example, several studies have suggested that VMPFC is hyperactive in depressed participants (reviewed in Koenigs and Grafman, 2009), and this region (as well as connected cingulate and orbitofrontal regions) also appears to have decreased gray matter volume in depressed subjects (Drevets et…”
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Depression: a Comprehensive Review of the Recent Advances
Yadollahpour, A., Jalilifar, M., & Rashidi, S. (2017) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-017-9741-3 · Cited by 14
“Several neuroimaging, event related and evoked potentials, and neurophysiological techniques have shown impaired and/or imbalanced neural activities in specific regions of brain in DDs (Drevets and Wayne 1998; Fitzgerald et al. 2006; Koenigs and Grafman 2009).”
Background
Depression in patients with SAPHO syndrome and its relationship with brain activity and connectivity
Lu, J., Duan, Y., Zuo, Z., Xu, W., Zhang, X., Li, C., Xue, R., Lu, H., & Zhang, W. (2017) · Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases · doi:10.1186/s13023-017-0658-5 · Cited by 14
“Two previous studies using regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis [40] and morphometric MRI [41] identified local activity and structure abnormalities in MDD, which were consistent with the pattern of our present findings.”
BackgroundInfluential
Opposed cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) expression in the prefrontal cortex vs. nucleus accumbens is associated with alcohol consumption in male rats
Belmont, O. A., Meléndez, A. L. B., Ruiz‐Contreras, A. E., Méndez‐Díaz, M., & Prospero-Garcia, O. E. (2019) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146485 · Cited by 14
Prefrontal cortical thickness, emotion regulation strategy use and COVID-19 mental health
Dimanova, P., Borbás, R., Schnider, C. B., Fehlbaum, L., & Raschle, N. (2022) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsac018 · Cited by 14
“The involvement of lPFC functioning in depression (Galynker et al., 1998; Koenigs and Grafman, 2009) and anxiety (Ball et al., 2013) has previously been reported, and prolonged depressive episodes and heightened anxiety have been associated with frequent use of rumination (Harrington and…”
Background
A Multivoxel Pattern Analysis of Anhedonia During Fear Extinction: Implications for Safety Learning
Rosenberg, B. M., Taschereau‐Dumouchel, V., Lau, H. C., Young, K. S., Nusslock, R., Zinbarg, R. E., & Craske, M. G. (2021) · Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.12.008 · Cited by 13
Mapping the effect of escitalopram treatment on amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with depression: a resting-state fMRI study
Wang, L., Li, X., Li, K., Su, Y., Zeng, Y., Zhang, Q., Wang, G., Jin, Z. H., Kong, Q., & Si, T. (2016) · Metabolic Brain Disease · doi:10.1007/s11011-016-9871-5 · Cited by 13
“The fALFF patterns were similar to those observed previously (Wang et al. 2011).”
BackgroundResult
Cortical Volume and Thickness Across Bipolar Disorder Subtypes in Adolescents: A Preliminary Study
Toma, S., Islam, A. H., Metcalfe, A. W. S., Mitchell, R. H. B., Fıksenbaum, L., MacIntosh, B. J., & Goldstein, B. I. (2018) · Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1089/cap.2017.0137 · Cited by 14
Effects of combined theta burst stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on stress
Smet, S. D., Baeken, C., Raedt, R. D., Pulopulos, M. M., Razza, L. B., Damme, S. V., Witte, S. D., Brunoni, A. R., & Vanderhasselt, M. (2021) · Clinical Neurophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.01.025 · Cited by 13
“Considering 1) the essential role of the DLPFC in the pathogenesis of several psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009), and 2) the fact that the DLPFC is a commonly used stimulation site in tDCS and rTMS interventions for the treatment of depression (Baeken et al.”
Method
Degree of improving TMS focality through a geometrically stable solution of an inverse TMS problem
Makarov, S. N., Wartman, W. A., Noetscher, G. M., Fujimoto, K., Zaidi, T., Burnham, E. H., Daneshzand, M., & Nummenmaa, A. R. (2021) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118437 · Cited by 14
“Along with this, we have also collected and processed some less extensive results related to the dorsolateral left prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is pathophysiologically linked to depression [48],[49],[50],[51].”
Neural decoding reliability: Breakthroughs and potential of brain–computer interfaces technologies in the treatment of neurological diseases
Li, J., Zhang, W., Liao, Y., Qiu, Y., Zhu, Y., Zhang, X., & Wang, C. (2025) · Physics of Life Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.plrev.2025.08.007 · Cited by 18
The effect of early cognitive behavior therapy for first-episode treatment-naive major depressive disorder
Wu, Z., Wang, C., Dai, Y., Xiao, C., Zhang, N., & Zhong, Y. (2022) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.008 · Cited by 15
Antidepressant effects of prolonged intermittent theta-burst stimulation monotherapy at the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex for medication and standard transcranial magnetic stimulation-resistant major depression: a three arm, randomized, double blind, sham-controlled pilot study
Cheng, C., Li, C., Jeng, J., Chang, W.-H., Lin, W., Chen, M., Bai, Y., Tsai, S., & Su, T. (2022) · European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.1007/s00406-022-01523-4 · Cited by 16
Decreased medial prefrontal cortex activity related to impaired novel object preference task performance following GALR2 and Y1R agonists intranasal infusion
Díaz‐Sánchez, E., López‐Salas, A., Mirchandani‐Duque, M., Alvarez‐Contino, J. E., Sánchez‐Pérez, J. A., Fuxé, K., Borroto‐Escuela, D. O., García‐Casares, N., & Narváez, M. (2023) · Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114433 · Cited by 13
TMS-evoked potential in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to assess the severity of depression disease: a TMS-EEG study
Li, X., Chen, M., Liu, Q., Zheng, C., Yu, C., Hou, G., Chen, Z., Chen, Y., Chen, Y., Zhu, G., et al. (2023) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1207020 · Cited by 15
“Patients with depression are believed to have functional and structural abnormalities in DLPFC, such as reduced volume, abnormal activity patterns, or abnormal available connection networks (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009).”
Background
tDCS reduces depression and state anxiety symptoms in older adults from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults study (ACT)
Hausman, H. K., Alexander, G. E., Cohen, R. A., Marsiske, M., DeKosky, S. T., Hishaw, G. A., O’Shea, A. M., Kraft, J. N., Dai, Y. E., Wu, S. S., et al. (2024) · Brain stimulation · doi:10.1016/j.brs.2024.02.021 · Cited by 17
“The dlPFC, involved in emotion regulation through top-down control processes, such as suppressing negative affect and executing cognitive reappraisal strategies [6,49 – 51], is hypoactive in individuals with clinical depression and anxiety [4,6,52, 53].”
Background
C3aR in the medial prefrontal cortex modulates the susceptibility to LPS-induced depressive-like behaviors through glutamatergic neuronal excitability
Sun, R., Tang, M., Yang, D., Zhang, Y.-Y., Xu, Y.-H., Qiao, Y., Yu, B., Cao, S.-X., Wang, H., Huang, H.-Q., et al. (2024) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102614 · Cited by 14
“Meanwhile, functional and structural abnormalities of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially the ventromedial and dorsolateral PFC, which corresponds to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in rodents, cause MDD vulnerability (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009; Pizzagalli and Roberts, 2022).”
Background
Always on my mind: Cross-brain associations of mental health symptoms during simultaneous parent-child scanning
Cosgrove, K. T., Kerr, K. L., Aupperle, R. L., Ratliff, E. L., DeVille, D. C., Silk, J. S., Burrows, K., Moore, A. J., Antonacci, C., Misaki, M., et al. (2019) · Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100729 · Cited by 13
“, 2010; Taylor and Liberzon, 2007), which may indicate a dysfunction in emotion regulation abilities (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009).”
Background
Tractography-Guided Anterior Capsulotomy for Major Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Targeting the Emotion Network
Avecillas-Chasin, J. M., Hurwitz, T. A., Bogod, N. M., & Honey, C. R. (2021) · Operative Neurosurgery · doi:10.1093/ons/opaa420 · Cited by 13
Neural effects of TMS trains on the human prefrontal cortex
Ross, J. M., Cline, C. C., Sarkar, M., Truong, J. T., & Keller, C. J. (2023) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-49250-7 · Cited by 13
“Indeed, little is known about the acute neural effects of TMS trains applied to the dlPFC, a region heavily implicated in psychiatric disorders 19 .”
Psychosocial and Cognitive Performance Correlates of Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Help-Seeking Versus Non-Help-Seeking Community-Dwelling Adults
Lubitz, A. F., Eid, M., & Niedeggen, M. (2019) · Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology · doi:10.1177/0891988719856691 · Cited by 13
Safety and Tolerability of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation During Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Damar, U., Kaye, H. L., Smith, N. A., Pennell, P. B., & Rotenberg, A. (2020) · Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology · doi:10.1097/wnp.0000000000000552 · Cited by 13
Systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide induces hyperexcitability of prelimbic neurons via modulation of sodium and potassium currents
Griego, E., Santiago-Jiménez, G., & Galván, E. J. (2022) · NeuroToxicology · doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2022.05.010 · Cited by 12
Individual- and Connectivity-Based Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback to Modulate Emotion-Related Brain Responses in Patients with Depression: A Pilot Study
Maywald, M., Paolini, M., Rauchmann, B., Christian, G., Heppe, J. L., Wolf, A., Lerchenberger, L., Tominschek, I., Stoecklein, S., Reidler, P., et al. (2022) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci12121714 · Cited by 12
“Furthermore, it connects to areas associated with fear-conditioning like the amygdala [51,74,75].”
Background
Corticostriatal contributions to dysregulated motivated behaviors in stress, depression, and substance use disorders
Siemsen, B. M., Franco, D., & Lobo, M. K. (2022) · Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.014 · Cited by 12
How does feeling pain look like in depression: A review of functional neuroimaging studies
Tesic, I., Pigoni, A., Moltrasio, C., Brambilla, P., & Delvecchio, G. (2023) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.083 · Cited by 17
One century of healing currents into the brain from the scalp: From electroconvulsive therapy to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for neuropsychiatric disorders
Iorio, R. D., Rossi, S., & Rossini, P. M. (2021) · Clinical Neurophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.10.014 · Cited by 12
Melatonin serum level, sleep functions, and depression level after bilateral anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a feasibility study
Hadoush, H., Alqudah, A., Banihani, S. A., Al-Jarrah, M. D., Amro, A., & Aldajah, S. (2021) · Sleep Science · doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20200083 · Cited by 13
“Consequently, previous tDCS studies concluded that tDCS could show antidepressant effects in patients with neurological diseases including PD 41,42 .”
Background
Diffusion tensor imaging correlates of depressive symptoms in Parkinson disease
Uhr, L., Tsolaki, E. C., & Pouratian, N. (2022) · The Journal of Comparative Neurology · doi:10.1002/cne.25310 · Cited by 12
“The region has been implicated in mood regulation and is thought to regulate the generation of negative emotion (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009).”
Background
A Systematic Review of Neurocognitive Effects of Subanesthetic Doses of Intravenous Ketamine in Major Depressive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Healthy Population
Shiroma, P., Velit-Salazar, M. R., & Vorobyov, Y. L. (2022) · Clinical drug investigation · doi:10.1007/s40261-022-01169-z · Cited by 10
“In general, the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) has been linked to the regulation of affective behaviors, whereas the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) is predominantly associated with executive functions [42].”
BackgroundInfluential
Grant Report on the Transcranial near Infrared Radiation and Cerebral Blood Flow in Depression (TRIADE) Study
Iosifescu, D. V., Collins, K. A., Puerto, A. M. H., Irvin, M., Clancy, J. A., Sparpana, A., Sullivan, E., Parincu, Z., Ratai, E., Funes, C. J., et al. (2023) · Photonics · doi:10.3390/photonics10010090 · Cited by 13
Mild Behavioral Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: An Updated Review on the Clinical, Genetic, Neuroanatomical, and Pathophysiological Aspects
Angelopoulou, E., Bougea, A., Hatzimanolis, A., Stefanis, L., Scarmeas, N., & Papageorgiou, S. (2024) · Medicina · doi:10.3390/medicina60010115 · Cited by 13
“In addition, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays an important role in both NPSs, including depression, psychotic symptoms, and anxiety, and cognitive functions, including working memory and attention [56,104].”
Background
Using basic neurobiological measures in criminological research
Cornet, L. J. M. (2015) · Crime Science · doi:10.1186/s40163-015-0018-5 · Cited by 12
“(Koenigs and Grafman 2009).”
Assessing the Effects of Depressed Mood and Cognitive Control Training on Memory Confidence and Accuracy Following Repeated Checking
Moshier, S. J., Molokotos, E. K., Stein, A. T., & Otto, M. W. (2015) · International Journal of Cognitive Therapy · doi:10.1521/ijct_2015_8_02 · Cited by 12
Pain and Decision-Making: Interrelated Through Homeostasis
Salcido, C. A., Geltmeier, M. K., & Fuchs, P. N. (2018) · The Open Pain Journal · doi:10.2174/1876386301811010031 · Cited by 12
Importance of test–retest reliability for promoting fMRI based screening and interventions in major depressive disorder
Compère, L., Siegle, G. J., & Young, K. D. (2021) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-021-01507-3 · Cited by 13
“We computed reliability estimates within four ROIs which the literature suggests may function as biomarkers for treatment response including the amygdala [36–38], dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC [39]), rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC [40]) and subgenual cingulate cortex (sgACC [16,41,42,], region-wise de…”
Method
Development of Focused Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Rodents by Copper-Array Shields
Meng, Q., Cherry, M., Refai, A., Du, X. M., Lu, H., Hong, E. L., Yang, Y., & Choa, F. (2018) · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics · doi:10.1109/tmag.2018.2796098 · Cited by 12
“For example, the region of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is usually stimulated for depression patients [5].”
Decreased GABA+ ratios referenced to creatine and phosphocreatine in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of females of reproductive age with major depression
Tran, K. H., Luki, J., Hanstock, S., Hanstock, C. C., Seres, P., Aitchison, K. J., Shandro, T., & Melledo, J.-M. L. (2023) · Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience · doi:10.1503/jpn.230016 · Cited by 11
Music listening as emotion regulation: Associations with other emotion regulation strategies and symptoms of depression and anxiety
Morgan, R. M., & Marroquín, B. M. (2023) · Musicae Scientiae · doi:10.1177/10298649231214537 · Cited by 13
“As low mPFC activity is associated with depression (e.g., Koenigs & Grafman, 2009), these findings add support to the idea of discharge as a maladaptive ER strategy.”
A neuroimaging study of brain activity alterations in treatment-resistant depression after a dual target accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation
Liu, J., Shu, Y., Wu, G., Hu, L., & Cui, H. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1321660 · Cited by 12
“At present, the FDA has approved the TMS targeted at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is a key area in depressive symptoms and shown to be hypoactive in major depressive disorder, for the treatment of depression (16–18).”
Background
Impaired unfolded protein response, BDNF and synuclein markers in postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and caudate nucleus of patients with depression and Parkinson's disease
Sarriés-Serrano, U., Miquel-Rio, L., Santana, N., Paz, V., Sancho‐Alonso, M., Callado, L. F., Meana, J. J., & Bortolozzi, A. A. (2025) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2025.111299 · Cited by 11
“Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe psychiatric condition that represents the primary cause of mental health-related disability globally (Herrman et al., 2019; Marwaha et al., 2023).”
An ERP study of multidimensional source retrieval in depression
Barrick, E. M., & Dillon, D. G. (2018) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.01.001 · Cited by 13
“In particular, because depression has been consistently linked to DLPFC hypofunction (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009) and diminished left PFC activation at rest (Davidson, Pizzagalli, Nitschke, & Putnam, 2002), and because brooding rumination — a common problem in depression (Treynor, Gonzalez, &…”
Altered Regional Homogeneity and Functional Connectivity during Microlesion Period after Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease
Luo, B., Lu, Y., Qiu, C., Dong, W., Xue, C., Liu, D., Zhang, L., Liu, W., & Zhang, W. (2021) · Parkinson s Disease · doi:10.1155/2021/2711365 · Cited by 11
Identification of Neural Targets for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: The Role of Functional Neuroimaging
Vago, D. R., Epstein, J., Catenaccio, E., & Stern, E. R. (2011) · Neurosurgery Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.nec.2011.01.003 · Cited by 11
Physical Aggression, Diagnostic Presentation, and Executive Functioning in Inpatient Adolescents Diagnosed with Mood Disorders
Holler, K. A., & Kavanaugh, B. C. (2012) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi:10.1007/s10578-012-0351-9 · Cited by 11
Cognitive flexibility and changes in hopelessness across time: A moderation hypothesis
Yu, J., & Lee, T. M. C. (2016) · Applied Neuropsychology Adult · doi:10.1080/23279095.2016.1155991 · Cited by 11
“It is thus not surprising that depression, which commonly presents with structural and functional abnormalities in the PFC (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009) is associated with impairments in cognitive flexibility (Remijnse et al., 2013).”
Background
Neuroplasticity pathways and protein-interaction networks are modulated by vortioxetine in rodents
Waller, J. A., Nygaard, S. H., Li, Y., du Jardin, K. G., Tamm, J. A., Abdourahman, A., Elfving, B., Pehrson, A. L., Sánchez, C., & Wernersson, R. (2017) · BMC Neuroscience · doi:10.1186/s12868-017-0376-x · Cited by 11
“In line with these effects of vortioxetine on plasticity and cognitive performance, current studies reveal vortioxetine regulates neuroplasticity gene expression in the cortex and hippocampus, brain regions linked to cognitive dysfunction in depression [22, 23].”
Result
Lactate measurement by neurochemical profiling in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 7T: accuracy, precision, and relaxation times
Dehghani, M., Kim, Q., Magistretti, P. J., & Xin, L. (2019) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.28066 · Cited by 11
“Normally-distributed random noise was added to the simulated spectra to create a range of different SNR (25-500).”
Improve cognition of depressive patients through the regulation of basal ganglia connectivity: Combined medication using Shuganjieyu capsule
Liu, S., Zhao, W., Li, Y., Li, X., Li, J., Cao, H., Yang, Z., & Xu, Y. J. (2020) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.01.013 · Cited by 11
Functional MRI in Depression—Multivariate Analysis of Emotional Task
Kandilarova, S., Stoyanov, D., Stoeva, M. S., Latypova, A., & Kherif, F. (2020) · Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering · doi:10.1007/s40846-020-00547-2 · Cited by 11
The Effects of Acute Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Attentional Bias in Pedophilic Disorder: A Preregistered Pilot Study
Pezzoli, P., Ziogas, A., Seto, M. C., Jaworska, N., Mokros, A., Fedoroff, P., & Santtila, P. O. (2020) · Neuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface · doi:10.1111/ner.13285 · Cited by 11
“As a result, altered dlPFC activity, often associated with depression ( 75 ), might have introduced within-group variation modulating the expected tDCS effect.”
Rostral middle frontal gyrus thickness mediates the relationship between genetic risk and neuroticism trait
Li, S., Zhou, Z., Meng, J., Zhu, X., Wang, K., Wei, D., & Qiu, J. (2020) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.13728 · Cited by 12
The impact of ovariectomy and chronic estrogen treatment on gene expression in the rat cortex: Implications for psychiatric disorders
Dean, B., & Gogos, A. (2021) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105192 · Cited by 10
[Prefrontal cortex neurochemical metabolite levels in major depression and the effects of treatment: an HMRS study].
Oğuzhanoğlu, N. K., Sözeri-Varma, G., Karadağ, F., Tümkaya, S., Efe, M., & Kıroğlu, Y. (2014) · PubMed · Cited by 11
Corrigendum to “Antidepressant effects of sertraline associated with volume increases in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex” [J. Affect. Disord. 146 (2013) 414–419]
Smith, R. S., Chen, K., Baxter, L. C., Fort, C. L., & Lane, R. D. (2014) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.03.050 · Cited by 11
TREK-1 inhibition promotes synaptic plasticity in the prelimbic cortex
de Oliveira, J. F., Higa, G. S. V., Viana, F. J. C., Cruvinel, E., Carlos-Lima, E., Borges, F. S., Zampieri, T. T., Rebello, F. P., Ulrich, H., & Pasquale, R. D. (2023) · Experimental Neurology · doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114652 · Cited by 11
5-HT2A Receptor Knockout Mice Show Sex-Dependent Differences following Acute Noribogaine Administration
Villalba, S., González, B., Junge, S., Bernardi, A., González, J., Fagúndez, C., Torterolo, P., Carrera, I., Urbano, F. J., & Bisagno, V. (2024) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms25020687 · Cited by 10
“…link between EGR1 expression and neuronal plasticity, the downregulation of EGR1 in the mPFC of depressed patients is particularly interesting and could represent one of the substrates for the anatomical and functional alterations observed in major depressive disorders in this brain area [61,62].”
Background
Alterations of amygdala volume and functional connectivity in migraine patients comorbid with and without depression
Chen, X., Gui, W., Li, H., Deng, Z., & Wang, Y. (2024) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.3427 · Cited by 10
“Previous studies reported that in MDD patients, the DLPFC exhibits abnormal metabolism (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009), bloodflowreduction(Caetanoetal.,2005),andGMVreduction(Chang et al., 2011).”
BackgroundResult
The contribution of proteomic studies in humans, animal models, and after antidepressant treatments to investigate the molecular neurobiology of major depression
Carboni, L. (2014) · PROTEOMICS - CLINICAL APPLICATIONS · doi:10.1002/prca.201400139 · Cited by 10
Diagnostic model optimization method for ADHD based on brain network analysis of resting-state fMRI images and transfer learning neural network
Meng, X., Zhuo, W., Ge, P., Zou, B., Zhu, Y., Liu, W., & Li, X. (2022) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.1005425 · Cited by 10
“This result is consistent with the conclusion of two previous studies (Castellanos et al., 2008; Koenigs and Grafman, 2009).”
Result
Prefrontal Glutathione Levels in Major Depressive Disorder Are Linked to a Lack of Positive Affect
Tuura, R., Buchmann, A., Ritter, C. J., Hase, A., Haynes, M., Noeske, R., & Hasler, G. (2023) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci13101475 · Cited by 10
“The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was selected since it appears to be a key neural substrate for depression [32], and the left side was selected due to the default chemical shift direction on the scanner used for MRS data collection, whereby fat is shifted to the left and water to the right, so…”
Method
Is Depression Simply a Nonspecific Response to Brain Injury?
Strakowski, S. M., Adler, C. M., & DelBello, M. P. (2013) · Current Psychiatry Reports · doi:10.1007/s11920-013-0386-z · Cited by 10
Functional Neuroimaging of Deficits in Cognitive Control
Mackie, M., & Fan, J. (2017) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-803676-1.00011-8 · Cited by 12
Analysis of alterations in white matter integrity of adult patients with comitant exotropia
Li, D., Li, S., & Zeng, X. (2018) · Journal of International Medical Research · doi:10.1177/0300060518763704 · Cited by 10
“The forceps minor consists of a lateral expansion of fibers of the corpus callosum,(26) which connects the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices including parts of the middle and superior frontal gyrus.(27) A functional MRI study indicated decreased brain activation of the frontal gyrus in patients with infantile strabismu…”
Background
Exploring the Effects of Temperament on Gray Matter Volume of Frontal Cortex in Patients with Mood Disorders
Yang, T., Lam, R. W. M., Huang, J., Su, Y., Liu, J., Yang, X., Yang, L., Zhu, N., Zhao, G., Mao, R., et al. (2021) · Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment · doi:10.2147/ndt.s287351 · Cited by 10
Executive Functioning and Self-Reported Depressive Symptoms Within an Adolescent Inpatient Population
Kavanaugh, B. C., & Holler, K. A. (2012) · Applied Neuropsychology Child · doi:10.1080/21622965.2012.731662 · Cited by 10
“…functioning, inpatient, mood disorder Recent research has identified neural correlates of depression, notably in the medial prefrontal cortex (Koenigs & Grafman, 2009; Murray, Wise, & Drevets, 2011; Price & Drevets, 2012), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC; Koenigs & Grafman; Ottowitz,…”
Background
Risk factors associated with cognitions for late-onset depression based on anterior and posterior default mode sub-networks
Liu, R., Yue, Y., Hou, Z., Yuan, Y., & Wang, Q. (2018) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.065 · Cited by 10
Influence of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on special symptoms in depressed patients
Höppner, J., Berger, C., Walter, U., Padberg, F., Buchmann, J. A., Herwig, U., & Domes, G. (2010) · Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience · doi:10.3233/rnn-2010-0557 · Cited by 10
“Neuroimaging studies have shown the engagement of the left DLPFC in executive functioning (Johnson et al., 2007), emotion regulation (Domes et al., 2010; Ochsner et al., 2004) and its crucial involvement in depression (Koenigs and Grafman, 2009).”
Molecular programs underlying differences in the expression of mood disorders in males and females
Mena, F., & Benoit, L. (2019) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.05.016 · Cited by 9
m6A Regulator-Mediated RNA Methylation Modification Patterns are Involved in the Pathogenesis and Immune Microenvironment of Depression
Wang, Y., Wang, X., Yang, C., Hua, W., & Wang, H. (2022) · Frontiers in Genetics · doi:10.3389/fgene.2022.865695 · Cited by 9
Metacognitive sensitivity and symptoms of mental disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Hohendorf, M., & Bauer, M. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.991339 · Cited by 15
Mood moderates the effects of prefrontal tDCS on executive functions: A meta-analysis testing the affective state-dependency hypothesis
Rosa, E. D., Masina, F., Pastorino, A., Galletti, E., Gambarota, F., Altoè, G., Edelstyn, N., & Mapelli, D. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.02.009 · Cited by 9
Complex PTSD symptom clusters and executive function in UK Armed Forces veterans: a cross-sectional study
Biscoe, N., New, E., & Murphy, D. (2024) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-024-01713-w · Cited by 9
“For example, one neurocognitive model of PTSD posits that PFC (and associated deficits in EF) may be ineffectively regulating hyperarousal of the amygdala in individuals with PTSD when a perceive threat is observed in a safe environment [28–30].”
Background
Neuroimaging studies of acupuncture for depressive disorder: a systematic review of published papers from 2014 to 2024
Lin, D., Ren, Q., Ou, Y., Li, L., Peng, D., & Yang, S. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1536660 · Cited by 9
Efficacy and safety of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on patients with depressive disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Moshfeghinia, R., Bordbar, S., Roointanpour, Y., Bafrani, M. A., & Shalbafan, M. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-28648-5 · Cited by 9
“In MDD, the DLPFC is commonly targeted due to its role in working memory, cognitive control, and emotion regulation, with abnormal connectivity linked to depressive symptoms 40,41 .”
Role of Prefrontal Cortex Circuitry in Maintaining Social Homeostasis
Lee, S., & Williams, Z. M. (2024) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.07.007 · Cited by 10
Frontal Lobe Atrophy in Depression after Stroke
Tang, W. K., Chen, Y. K., Lu, J. Y., Mok, V., Chu, C. W., Ungvari, G. S., & Wong, K. S. (2013) · Stroke Research and Treatment · doi:10.1155/2013/424769 · Cited by 9
“The inclusion criteria for the study were (1) Chinese ethnicity, (2) Cantonese as the primary language, (3) aged 18 or above, (4) well-documented (clinical presentation and CT scan of the brain) first or recurrent acute stroke occurring within the seven days prior to admission, and (5) ability and willingness to give…”
Background
Accelerated theta-burst repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression in South Africa
Bröcker, E., van den Heuvel, L. L., & Seedat, S. (2019) · South African Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v25i0.1346 · Cited by 13

Authors: Koenigs, M., & Grafman, J.
Affiliations: University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author: Koenigs, Michael
ORCID: Koenigs, Michael
Grafman, Jordan
Venue: Behavioural Brain Research
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2009-08
Volume: 201
Issue: 2
Pages: 239-243
ISSN: 0166-4328 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.03.004
PMC: PMC2680780
OpenAlex: W2156809536
Cited by: 956
References: 39
Citations by year: 2026: 43 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 60 · 2022: 83 · 2021: 88 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 80 · 2018: 77 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 70 · 2015: 55 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 41 · 2012: 38
FWCI: 2.26
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Behavioural Brain Research (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Z01NS002792)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords: depression, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, prefrontal cortex, functional neuroanatomy, brain lesions, transcranial magnetic stimulation, functional imaging
MeSH terms: Brain Mapping, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Humans, Prefrontal Cortex, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

The functional neuroanatomy of depression: Distinct roles for ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Self-check

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks