Depression is associated with hyperconnectivity of an introspective socio-affective network during the recall of formative relationship episodes.

Background: Depression and the experience of early adversity are associated with impairments in interpersonal and social cognitive functioning. The neural mechanisms involved in these impairments remain insufficiently understood.

Methods: In a sample of 48 depressed and 50 healthy participants, we explored seed-to-voxel functional connectivity (FC) during the recall of formative relationship episodes using functional magnetic resonance imaging.