Abstract:Objective To explore the changes of brain function in the specific brain regions of firstepisode depressive patients using resting state magnetic resonance imaging( MRI) technology. Methods Resting state MRI examination was performed on 20 patients who met the diagnostic criteria of depression and 20 healthy volunteers. The resting state MRI regional homogeneity( ReHo) was used to compare the ReHo values of the depression group, to find brain regions with increased or reduced specificity. Results Compared with the control group, the brain areas with increased ReHo were posterior cerebellar lobe, inferior temporal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, lingual gyrus, posterior central gyrus, anterior central gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and parietal lobe. While ReHo decreased in marginal lobe, parahippocampal gyrus, putamen, thalamus,lenticular nucleus, inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, anterior cuneiform lobe and cingulate gyrus. Conclusions ReHo analysis of resting state MRI may discover abnormal brain regions of depression, which may help to explore the pathogenesis of depression.