100 Chapter 4 left SFG in DEP adolescents, while activation in this region was not associated with eye contact duration over time in HCs (Figure 4.5). Figure 4.5 Prolonged eye contact was associated with parametric decreases over time in left superior frontal gyrus in DEP adolescents, while activation in this region was not associated with eye contact duration over time in HCs. We performed a parametric analysis testing for differences in linear increases and decreases in neural responses associated with presentation duration of eye contact (Δdirect–averted gaze) between DEP and HC adolescents using a whole-brain approach. To visualize the parametric effect, we subdivide each video in 3 epochs of equal length and plotted average BOLD-responses in left superior frontal gyrus for each epoch. Confound analyses All outcomes remained significant after controlling for age, gender, and pubertal status of the adolescents. In addition, all outcomes at the neural level remained significant after controlling for handedness. These findings indicate that results were not driven by one of these variables. DISCUSSION This study examined adolescents’ affective and neural responses to prolonged eye contact with their parent and whether these responses differed in depressed adolescents. In response to eye contact, HC adolescents reported enhanced affective responses, made more eye contact, and showed enhanced neural responses in right IFG, left temporal pole, and left SFG, regardless of the target. Interestingly, they reported a better mood and felt more connected after the sight of their parent versus unfamiliar others. In contrast to HCs, eye contact did not induce a mood-boosting effect in depressed adolescents. While HCs reported increased mood and feelings of connectedness with their parent relative to the other targets, this effect was less strong in depressed adolescents. Furthermore, regardless of the target, depressed adolescents
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