Increased default mode network activation in depression and social anxiety during upward social comparison.

ABSTRACT: Social comparisons are a core feature of human life. Theories posit that social comparisons play a critical role in depression and social anxiety triggering negative evaluations about the self, as well as negative emotions. We investigated the neural basis of social comparisons in participants with major depression and/or social anxiety (MD-SA, n = 56) and healthy controls (n = 47) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. While being scanned participants performed a social comparison task, during which they received feedback about their performance and the performance of a coplayer. Upward social comparisons (being worse than the coplayer) elicited high levels of negative emotions (shame, guilt, and nervousness) across participants, with this effect being enhanced in the MD-SA group. N

SUBMITTER: Acuna A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11792650 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature