Alterations in CRY2 and PER3 gene expression associated with thalamic-limbic community structural abnormalities in patients with bipolar depression or unipolar depression

•We directly investigate the link between anomalies in mood-related brain anatomical networks and circadian gene mRNA expression disruption in bipolar depression and unipolar depression.•Patients with bipolar depression showed lower levels of ARNTL, CRY1, CRY2, PER2, PER3, and FBXL3 mRNA expression than patients with unipolar depression, which might indicate state-like alterations in affective disorders.•The PER3 and CRY2 genes might be critical to right hippocampal dysfunction in bipolar depression and right thalamic dysfunction in unipolar depression, respectively.