Neuroimaging in Anxiety and Depression: An Integrative Review of fMRI, EEG, and Neural Biomarkers

Authors

  • Marina FREITAS International Center for Biomedical & Space Sciences , University of Aveiro image/svg+xml , LIASTRA Institute Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1723-4113
    Competing Interests

    No conflict of interest.

  • Fabrício Veloso International Center for Biomedical & Space Sciences , Fundação de Apoio à Escola Técnica image/svg+xml , LIASTRA Institute Author
    Competing Interests

    No conflict of interest.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66234/kx3q7207

Keywords:

Neuroimaging, Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, fMRI, EEG, Neural Biomarkers

Abstract

Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent psychiatric conditions associated with significant disability worldwide. Neuroimaging has advanced understanding of their neural substrates, particularly through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). This integrative review synthesized studies published between 2013 and 2025 retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO, including adult clinical samples diagnosed with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Evidence consistently indicates dysregulation within fronto-limbic circuitry and large-scale brain networks, notably involving the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and default mode network. fMRI findings highlight altered functional connectivity and impaired emotional regulation, whereas EEG studies reveal abnormalities in oscillatory activity and event-related potentials linked to attentional bias and cognitive control. Although convergent neural markers emerge across modalities, methodological heterogeneity limits reproducibility and clinical application. Multimodal integration of spatial and temporal neural measures may enhance biomarker reliability and support the development of precision psychiatry approaches.

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Author Biographies

  • Marina FREITAS, International Center for Biomedical & Space Sciences, University of Aveiro, LIASTRA Institute

    Founder & CEO of LIASTRA and ICBS Laboratory | Researcher at NASA OSDR Analysis Working Groups | NASA TOPS Scientist | Biomedical Scientist, BSc from the University of Aveiro | BSc student in Chemistry | Postgraduate studies in Astronomy, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Machine Learning | MBA

  • Fabrício Veloso, International Center for Biomedical & Space Sciences, Fundação de Apoio à Escola Técnica, LIASTRA Institute

    Fabricio Corrêa Veloso is an author and undergraduate research student affiliated with the International Center for Biomedical & Space Sciences (ICBS), LIASTRA Institute. He is a Electronics Technician trained at FAETEC – Fundação de Apoio à Escola Técnica, where he also has an academic affiliation. His academic interests include electronics, electrical studies, biomedical sciences, biology, technology, and space sciences.

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Published

2026-02-27

Data Availability Statement

No new datasets were generated or analyzed during this study. All data supporting the findings of this integrative review are available in the published literature cited in the reference list.

Issue

Vol. 1 (2026): Journal of Biomedical & Space Sciences (JBSS) Vol. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Marina CORRÊA FREITAS, Fabrício Veloso (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Articles published in the Journal of Biomedical & Space Sciences (JBSS) are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. Users are free to share and adapt the material provided proper attribution is given to the original author and source. ISSN: 3086-4712

How to Cite

Neuroimaging in Anxiety and Depression: An Integrative Review of fMRI, EEG, and Neural Biomarkers. (2026). Journal of Biomedical & Space Sciences (JBSS), 1. https://doi.org/10.66234/kx3q7207

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