Depression is a serious mental disorder that has a great impact on individuals and society. Vari⁃ous imaging methods，including X-ray，CT，magnetic resonance imaging（MRI），and PET/CT，have played an important role in the research advances in depression. Various MRI-based analytical methods，with their unique ad⁃vantages，have taken a place in the diagnosis and treatment guidance of depression. This article reviews the current application status and advances in several functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques in depression，includ⁃ing diffusion tensor imaging，resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging，magnetic resonance spectrosco⁃py，and voxel-based morphometry.