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Queirazza F, Cavanagh J, Philiastides MG, Krishnadas R. Mild exogenous inflammation blunts neural signatures of bounded evidence accumulation and reward prediction error processing in healthy male participants. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:197-210. [PMID: 38555987 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered neural haemodynamic activity during decision making and learning has been linked to the effects of inflammation on mood and motivated behaviours. So far, it has been reported that blunted mesolimbic dopamine reward signals are associated with inflammation-induced anhedonia and apathy. Nonetheless, it is still unclear whether inflammation impacts neural activity underpinning decision dynamics. The process of decision making involves integration of noisy evidence from the environment until a critical threshold of evidence is reached. There is growing empirical evidence that such process, which is usually referred to as bounded accumulation of decision evidence, is affected in the context of mental illness. METHODS In a randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 19 healthy male participants were allocated to placebo and typhoid vaccination. Three to four hours post-injection, participants performed a probabilistic reversal-learning task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. To capture the hidden neurocognitive operations underpinning decision-making, we devised a hybrid sequential sampling and reinforcement learning computational model. We conducted whole brain analyses informed by the modelling results to investigate the effects of inflammation on the efficiency of decision dynamics and reward learning. RESULTS We found that during the decision phase of the task, typhoid vaccination attenuated neural signatures of bounded evidence accumulation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, only for decisions requiring short integration time. Consistent with prior work, we showed that, in the outcome phase, mild acute inflammation blunted the reward prediction error in the bilateral ventral striatum and amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Our study extends current insights into the effects of inflammation on the neural mechanisms of decision making and shows that exogenous inflammation alters neural activity indexing efficiency of evidence integration, as a function of choice discriminability. Moreover, we replicate previous findings that inflammation blunts striatal reward prediction error signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Queirazza
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TB, UK; School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK.
| | - Jonathan Cavanagh
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | | | - Rajeev Krishnadas
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
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Ginieis R, Yan F, Franz EA, Peng M. Contrasting frontal cortical responses to food versus money rewards across BMI groups. Nutr Neurosci 2024; 27:688-697. [PMID: 37603004 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2023.2245212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has linked obesity with an altered perception of rewards. This study aimed to contrast frontal cortical activities across body mass index (BMI) groups, in responding to differential rewards (monetary versus food). A total of 60 male participants (27.43 ± 6.07 years of age; 21 normal weight [BMI: 18.5-24.9 kg·m-2]; 20 overweight [BMI: 25.0-29.9 kg·m-2]; and 19 individuals with obesity [BMI ≥ 30 kg·m-2]) were tested for their response bias towards food and money rewards using the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT), while their frontal cortical responses were recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). The feedback-related negativity (FRN), a reliable measure of reward valuation and learning, was calculated for food (FRN(Food)) and money (FRN(Money)). Results indicate a left-lateralised frontal cortical activity associated with the food reward condition, in the group of overweight and obesity. In contrast, a right-lateralisation was observed in the money reward condition only in the group with obesity. More specifically, FRN(Food) was shown to significantly differ between left and right frontal cortical areas among individuals with obesity (p = 0.035) and overweight (p = 0.012), but not in normal-weight individuals (p = 0.153). Additionally, results revealed that FRN(Food) and FRN(Money) were significantly different for individuals with obesity (p = 0.019), but such a significant difference was not evident in the overweight and normal-weight individuals (p ≥ 0.05). These findings offer intriguing new insights into neuropsychological differentiation across BMI groups, adding to the understanding of obesity-related behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Ginieis
- Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Fu Yan
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Mei Peng
- Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Dan R, Whitton AE, Treadway MT, Rutherford AV, Kumar P, Ironside ML, Kaiser RH, Ren B, Pizzagalli DA. Brain-based graph-theoretical predictive modeling to map the trajectory of anhedonia, impulsivity, and hypomania from the human functional connectome. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1162-1170. [PMID: 38480910 PMCID: PMC11109096 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01842-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Clinical assessments often fail to discriminate between unipolar and bipolar depression and identify individuals who will develop future (hypo)manic episodes. To address this challenge, we developed a brain-based graph-theoretical predictive model (GPM) to prospectively map symptoms of anhedonia, impulsivity, and (hypo)mania. Individuals seeking treatment for mood disorders (n = 80) underwent an fMRI scan, including (i) resting-state and (ii) a reinforcement-learning (RL) task. Symptoms were assessed at baseline as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. A whole-brain functional connectome was computed for each fMRI task, and the GPM was applied for symptom prediction using cross-validation. Prediction performance was evaluated by comparing the GPM to a corresponding null model. In addition, the GPM was compared to the connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM). Cross-sectionally, the GPM predicted anhedonia from the global efficiency (a graph theory metric that quantifies information transfer across the connectome) during the RL task, and impulsivity from the centrality (a metric that captures the importance of a region) of the left anterior cingulate cortex during resting-state. At 6-month follow-up, the GPM predicted (hypo)manic symptoms from the local efficiency of the left nucleus accumbens during the RL task and anhedonia from the centrality of the left caudate during resting-state. Notably, the GPM outperformed the CPM, and GPM derived from individuals with unipolar disorders predicted anhedonia and impulsivity symptoms for individuals with bipolar disorders. Importantly, the generalizability of cross-sectional models was demonstrated in an external validation sample. Taken together, across DSM mood diagnoses, efficiency and centrality of the reward circuit predicted symptoms of anhedonia, impulsivity, and (hypo)mania, cross-sectionally and prospectively. The GPM is an innovative modeling approach that may ultimately inform clinical prediction at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Dan
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexis E Whitton
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael T Treadway
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ashleigh V Rutherford
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Poornima Kumar
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manon L Ironside
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Roselinde H Kaiser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Boyu Ren
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for Psychiatric Biostatistics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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Duda JM, Moser AD, Ironside M, Null KE, Holsen LM, Zuo CS, Du F, Esfand SM, Chen X, Perlo S, Richards CE, Lobien R, Alexander M, Misra M, Goldstein JM, Pizzagalli DA. Effects of GABA, Sex, and Stress on Reward Learning in Current and Remitted Major Depression. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:606-615. [PMID: 38417785 PMCID: PMC11156537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive factors including aberrant reward learning, blunted GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and potentiated stress sensitivity have been linked to anhedonia, a hallmark depressive symptom, possibly in a sex-dependent manner. However, previous research has not investigated the putative associations among these factors or the extent to which they represent trait- or state-based vulnerabilities for depression. METHODS Young adults with current major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 44), remitted MDD (n = 42), and healthy control participants (HCs) (n = 44), stratified by sex assigned at birth, underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess macromolecular contaminated GABA (GABA+) and then a reward learning task before and after acute stress. We assessed changes in reward learning after stress and associations with GABA+. RESULTS Results revealed blunted baseline reward learning in participants with remitted MDD versus participants with current MDD and HCs but, surprisingly, no differences between participants with current MDD and HCs. Reward learning was reduced following acute stress regardless of depressive history. GABA+ in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, but not the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, was associated with reduced baseline reward learning only in female participants. GABA+ did not predict stress-related changes in reward learning. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate associations among GABA, reward learning, and stress reactivity in current versus past depression. Hypothesized depression-related differences in reward learning did not emerge, precluding claims about state versus trait vulnerabilities. However, our finding that blunted GABA was associated with greater reward learning in female participants provides novel insights into sex-selective associations between the frontal GABAergic inhibitory system and reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amelia D Moser
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Maria Ironside
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chun S Zuo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Fei Du
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Xi Chen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah Perlo
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Christine E Richards
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel Lobien
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madeline Alexander
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.
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5
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Hall AF, Browning M, Huys QJM. The computational structure of consummatory anhedonia. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:541-553. [PMID: 38423829 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Anhedonia is a reduction in enjoyment, motivation, or interest. It is common across mental health disorders and a harbinger of poor treatment outcomes. The enjoyment aspect, termed 'consummatory anhedonia', in particular poses fundamental questions about how the brain constructs rewards: what processes determine how intensely a reward is experienced? Here, we outline limitations of existing computational conceptualisations of consummatory anhedonia. We then suggest a richer reinforcement learning (RL) account of consummatory anhedonia with a reconceptualisation of subjective hedonic experience in terms of goal progress. This accounts qualitatively for the impact of stress, dysfunctional cognitions, and maladaptive beliefs on hedonic experience. The model also offers new views on the treatments for anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna F Hall
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry and Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Browning
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health NHS Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Quentin J M Huys
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry and Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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6
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Zhu C, Jiang Y, Lei H, Wang H, Zhang C. The relationship between short-form video use and depression among Chinese adolescents: Examining the mediating roles of need gratification and short-form video addiction. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30346. [PMID: 38707427 PMCID: PMC11066677 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Short-form video apps, such as TikTok, have become popular worldwide. Compared to traditional social media, they have powerful push algorithms and are more entertaining, which might lead to some negative effects. Research has attempted to identify the relationship between short-form video use and depression, but the processes mechanism underly the relationship was few in number. The present study explored the association between short-form video use and depression among Chinese adolescents and analyzed the mediating roles of need gratification and short-form video addiction. The participants included 1302 senior high school students (Mage = 16.03, SD = 0.76, 42.6 % boys). And a structure equation model with chain mediating was established using Mplus. The results showed (1) a direct association between short-form video use and adolescent depression, (2) that entertainment need gratification, social-related need gratification, and short-form video addiction acted as chain mediating factors, and (3) no gender difference in the model. The present study's findings revealed the important mediating role of addictive behavior between normal use behavior and depression and suggested that preventative and interventional plans based on need gratification should be developed to reduce short-form video addiction and improve mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengwei Zhu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiru Jiang
- School of Education science, Shangrao Normal University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hanning Lei
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Wang
- Teaching Center of Fundamental Courses, Ocean University of China, Shandong, China
| | - Cai Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Matsuda Y, Ozawa N, Shinozaki T, Tatebayashi Y, Honda M, Shinba T. Physiological paradigm for assessing reward prediction and extinction using cortical direct current potential responses in rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10422. [PMID: 38710727 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59833-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Anticipating positive outcomes is a core cognitive function in the process of reward prediction. However, no neurophysiological method objectively assesses reward prediction in basic medical research. In the present study, we established a physiological paradigm using cortical direct current (DC) potential responses in rats to assess reward prediction. This paradigm consisted of five daily 1-h sessions with two tones, wherein the rewarded tone was followed by electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) scheduled at 1000 ms later, whereas the unrewarded tone was not. On day 1, both tones induced a negative DC shift immediately after auditory responses, persisting up to MFB stimulation. This negative shift progressively increased and peaked on day 4. Starting from day 3, the negative shift from 600 to 1000 ms was significantly larger following the rewarded tone than that following the unrewarded tone. This negative DC shift was particularly prominent in the frontal cortex, suggesting its crucial role in discriminative reward prediction. During the extinction sessions, the shift diminished significantly on extinction day 1. These findings suggest that cortical DC potential is related to reward prediction and could be a valuable tool for evaluating animal models of depression, providing a testing system for anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Matsuda
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan.
| | - Nobuyuki Ozawa
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan
| | - Takiko Shinozaki
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Tatebayashi
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan
| | - Makoto Honda
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Shinba
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8605, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital, 1-1-1 Oshika, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8527, Japan
- Research Division, Saiseikai Research Institute of Health Care and Welfare, 21F Mita-Kokusai Building, 1-4-28 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0073, Japan
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Dillon DG, Belleau EL, Origlio J, McKee M, Jahan A, Meyer A, Souther MK, Brunner D, Kuhn M, Ang YS, Cusin C, Fava M, Pizzagalli DA. Using Drift Diffusion and RL Models to Disentangle Effects of Depression On Decision-Making vs. Learning in the Probabilistic Reward Task. COMPUTATIONAL PSYCHIATRY (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 8:46-69. [PMID: 38774430 PMCID: PMC11104335 DOI: 10.5334/cpsy.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) is widely used to investigate the impact of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) on reinforcement learning (RL), and recent studies have used it to provide insight into decision-making mechanisms affected by MDD. The current project used PRT data from unmedicated, treatment-seeking adults with MDD to extend these efforts by: (1) providing a more detailed analysis of standard PRT metrics-response bias and discriminability-to better understand how the task is performed; (2) analyzing the data with two computational models and providing psychometric analyses of both; and (3) determining whether response bias, discriminability, or model parameters predicted responses to treatment with placebo or the atypical antidepressant bupropion. Analysis of standard metrics replicated recent work by demonstrating a dependency between response bias and response time (RT), and by showing that reward totals in the PRT are governed by discriminability. Behavior was well-captured by the Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Model (HDDM), which models decision-making processes; the HDDM showed excellent internal consistency and acceptable retest reliability. A separate "belief" model reproduced the evolution of response bias over time better than the HDDM, but its psychometric properties were weaker. Finally, the predictive utility of the PRT was limited by small samples; nevertheless, depressed adults who responded to bupropion showed larger pre-treatment starting point biases in the HDDM than non-responders, indicating greater sensitivity to the PRT's asymmetric reinforcement contingencies. Together, these findings enhance our understanding of reward and decision-making mechanisms that are implicated in MDD and probed by the PRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Dillon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | - Emily L. Belleau
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | - Julianne Origlio
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Madison McKee
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Aava Jahan
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Ashley Meyer
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Min Kang Souther
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
| | - Devon Brunner
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
| | - Manuel Kuhn
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Yuen Siang Ang
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
| | - Cristina Cusin
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Maurizio Fava
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Diego A. Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont MA, USA
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
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Reilly EE, Wierenga CE, Grange DL. Testing the role of associative learning in evidence-based treatments for anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:1088-1095. [PMID: 38323377 PMCID: PMC11093706 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Treatments for anorexia nervosa (AN) remain ineffective for many patients. Processes that can account for differential treatment outcomes remain mostly unknown. We propose that the field test the role of associative learning in current psychological treatments. We hold that this line of research could yield actionable information for understanding non-response and improving long-term outcomes. To make this argument, we define associative learning and outline its proposed role in understanding psychiatric disorders and their treatment. We then briefly review data exploring associative learning in AN. We argue that associative learning processes are implicitly implicated in existing treatments; by this rationale, baseline differences in learning may interfere with treatment response. Finally, we outline future research to test our hypotheses. Altogether, future research aimed at better understanding how associative learning may contribute to AN symptom persistence has the potential to inform novel directions in intervention research. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: There is a pressing need to improve outcomes in treatments for anorexia nervosa (AN). We propose that individual differences in associative learning-the ability to form and update associations between cues, contexts, behaviors, and outcomes-may account for differential response to existing treatments. Undertaking this research could provide an understanding of how current treatments work and inform new approaches for those who may be at risk of poor outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E. Reilly
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Daniel Le Grange
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience (Emeritus), The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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10
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Gollan JK, Liverant G, Jao NC, Lord KA, Whitton AE, Hogarth L, Fox E, Bauer AM, Quinn MH, Pizzagalli DA, Leone FT, Papandonatos GD, Schnoll RA, Hitsman B. Depression Severity Moderates Reward Learning Among Smokers With Current or Past Major Depressive Disorder in a Smoking Cessation Randomized Clinical Trial. Nicotine Tob Res 2024; 26:639-644. [PMID: 37943674 PMCID: PMC11033567 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Behavioral and pharmacological smoking cessation treatments are hypothesized to increase patients' reward learning to reduce craving. Identifying changes in reward learning processes that support effective tobacco-dependence interventions among smokers who experience depression may guide patients toward efficient treatment strategies. The objective was to investigate the extent to which adult daily cigarette smokers with current or past major depressive disorder (MDD) learned to seek reward during 12 weeks of treatment combining behavioral activation and varenicline. We hypothesized that a decline in reward learning would be attenuated (least to most) in the following order: (1) behavioral activation integrated with ST (BASC) + varenicline, (2) BASC + placebo, (3) standard behavioral cessation treatment (ST) + varenicline, (4) ST + placebo. METHODS We ran a phase IV, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial with 300 participants receiving 12 weeks of one of four conditions across two urban medical centers. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). Reward learning was ascertained at weeks 1, 7, and 14 using the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT), a laboratory task that uses an asymmetric reinforcement schedule to assess (a) learning to seek reward (response bias), (b) differentiate between stimuli, and (c) time to react to cues. RESULTS There was a significant interaction of BDI group × PRT response bias. Response bias declined from weeks 7 to 14 among participants with high baseline depression symptoms. The other two BDI groups showed no change in response bias. CONCLUSIONS Controlling for baseline depression, participants showed a decrease in response bias from weeks 1 to 14, and from weeks 7 to 14. Treatment condition and abstinence status were unassociated with change in reward learning. IMPLICATIONS Smokers who report greater depression severity show a decline in reward learning despite their participation in smoking cessation treatments, suggesting that depressed populations pose unique challenges with standard smoking cessation approaches. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02378714.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline K Gollan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Nancy C Jao
- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kayla A Lord
- Institute of Living, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Alexis E Whitton
- Black Dog Institute, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lee Hogarth
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Erica Fox
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anna-Marika Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mackenzie Hosie Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Frank T Leone
- Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Robert A Schnoll
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brian Hitsman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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11
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Gencturk S, Unal G. Rodent tests of depression and anxiety: Construct validity and translational relevance. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:191-224. [PMID: 38413466 PMCID: PMC11039509 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01171-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral testing constitutes the primary method to measure the emotional states of nonhuman animals in preclinical research. Emerging as the characteristic tool of the behaviorist school of psychology, behavioral testing of animals, particularly rodents, is employed to understand the complex cognitive and affective symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Following the symptom-based diagnosis model of the DSM, rodent models and tests of depression and anxiety focus on behavioral patterns that resemble the superficial symptoms of these disorders. While these practices provided researchers with a platform to screen novel antidepressant and anxiolytic drug candidates, their construct validity-involving relevant underlying mechanisms-has been questioned. In this review, we present the laboratory procedures used to assess depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and mice. These include constructs that rely on stress-triggered responses, such as behavioral despair, and those that emerge with nonaversive training, such as cognitive bias. We describe the specific behavioral tests that are used to assess these constructs and discuss the criticisms on their theoretical background. We review specific concerns about the construct validity and translational relevance of individual behavioral tests, outline the limitations of the traditional, symptom-based interpretation, and introduce novel, ethologically relevant frameworks that emphasize simple behavioral patterns. Finally, we explore behavioral monitoring and morphological analysis methods that can be integrated into behavioral testing and discuss how they can enhance the construct validity of these tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem Gencturk
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gunes Unal
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey.
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12
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Luc OT, Kangas BD. Validation of a touchscreen probabilistic reward task for mice: A reverse-translated assay with cross-species continuity. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:281-288. [PMID: 37770642 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01128-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) is a laboratory-based technique used to objectively quantify responsivity to reward. The PRT was initially designed to identify reinforcement learning deficits in clinical populations and subsequently was reverse-translated for use in preclinical studies with rats and monkeys. In this task, subjects make visual discriminations and asymmetric probabilistic contingencies are arranged such that correct responses to one stimulus (rich) are reinforced more often than correct responses to the other (lean). Numerous studies have demonstrated that healthy subjects reliably develop a response bias toward the richly rewarded stimulus, whereas humans with anhedonia and laboratory animals with a history of chronic stress exhibit a blunted response bias. This is important because anhedonia, the loss of responsivity to previously rewarding stimuli, is a behavioral phenotype that is a cardinal feature of multiple neuropsychiatric conditions and is without approved pharmacotherapeutic options. To aid in addressing this critical treatment gap, this report describes validation of the first PRT designed for mice, which are a commonly utilized species in preclinical research toward neuropsychiatric medications development. Results reveal orderly psychophysical functions in response to asymmetric probabilistic contingencies in mice, with signal detection outcomes comparable to previous PRT findings in humans, rats, and monkeys. Taken together, such robust cross-species continuity in task performance confirms that the mouse is well-positioned to serve in bidirectional research efforts between human and animal laboratories. These efforts may accelerate the development of treatment options for anhedonia in the different neuropsychiatric conditions in which it is prominent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oanh T Luc
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Brian D Kangas
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
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13
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Floresco S, Roberts A, Robinson E, Pizzagalli DA. Preclinical animal models and assays of neuropsychiatric disorders: Old problems and New Vistas - introduction to the special issue. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:187-190. [PMID: 38504048 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01180-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Preclinical research is an essential aspect of biomedical science that aids in clarifying the pathophysiology of underlying illness and devising new treatments. This special issues brings together original research and review papers that pertain to the development of novel models and behavioral assays of symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders, which may help to refine preclinical studies and to improve their translatability to the human condition.
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14
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Esfand SM, Null KE, Duda JM, de Leeuw J, Pizzagalli DA. Lifetime history of major depressive disorder is associated with decreased reward learning: Evidence from a novel online version of the probabilistic reward task. J Affect Disord 2024; 350:1007-1015. [PMID: 38278332 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) is a signal detection task that assesses reward learning. In laboratory versions of the task, individuals with current or past major depressive disorder (MDD) were characterized by reduced response bias towards a more frequently rewarded stimuli, compared to controls. Our main goal was to develop and validate a novel online version of the PRT, and, in exploratory analyses, evaluate whether lifetime history of depression was associated with blunted reward learning. METHODS 429 participants recruited via CloudResearch completed questionnaires assessing psychiatric history and an online PRT featuring visually appealing stimuli. 108 participants reported either current or past diagnosis of MDD (lifetime MDD group), and were compared to 321 without lifetime MDD. RESULTS Participants showed overall increase in response bias, validating the online PRT. Females with lifetime MDD (N = 43), compared to females without prior history of MDD (N = 173), exhibited blunted response bias towards the more frequently rewarded stimulus (i.e., reduced reward learning). LIMITATIONS Participants did not undergo a structured clinical interview, thus we cannot confirm whether they met full diagnostic criteria for depression. CONCLUSIONS The online PRT yielded similar psychometric properties as laboratory versions of the task. In exploratory analyses, females with lifetime MDD showed a lower propensity to modulate behavior as a function of rewards, which might contribute to heightened vulnerability for developing MDD in females. Future studies should consider social, cultural, and neurobiological factors contributing to sex differences in reward responsiveness and how factors may relate to disease prognosis and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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15
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Xie Y, Jiao Y, Shi L, Liu D, Liu Y, Tang Z, Gong W, Yu H, Ma Y. A study on the influencing factors of mental health of Chinese garden workers: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:765. [PMID: 38475777 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18025-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Occupational hazards occur in all walks of life. China's horticulture industry is undergoing rapid development. However, the mental health of garden workers has not received much attention. This study investigates the mental health status and influencing factors of Chinese garden workers and provides a basis for promoting their mental health and ensuring the healthy development of Chinese horticulture. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of garden workers in Beijing was conducted from 10 July 2021 to 10 October 2021. A total of 3349 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective response rate of 95.69%. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on the demographic characteristics, job satisfaction, stress, anxiety, and depression of garden workers, and the influencing factors affecting the mental health of Chinese garden workers were found through a t-test, variance analysis, and ordinal multi-class logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Survey respondents were mostly male (54.4%) and under the age of 40 (64.1%). The anxiety and depression symptoms of the garden workers were moderate. Among staff members, 40.2% were in a normal state of stress. Gender, three meals on time, monthly income, and job satisfaction were the factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among garden workers. CONCLUSION Compared to medical staff and other groups, the stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms of Chinese garden workers are severe. Gender, monthly income, and job satisfaction are important factors affecting their mental health. Managers should continuously improve the working environment of garden workers, provide salaries that match their positions, and improve their job recognition and satisfaction to reduce the impact of negative emotions on personal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Xie
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Shi
- School of Health Management, Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Di Liu
- School of Marxism, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Tang
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Weijun Gong
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Hong Yu
- Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Yuanshuo Ma
- School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China.
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16
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Hertz-Palmor N, Rozenblit D, Lavi S, Zeltser J, Kviatek Y, Lazarov A. Aberrant reward learning, but not negative reinforcement learning, is related to depressive symptoms: an attentional perspective. Psychol Med 2024; 54:794-807. [PMID: 37642177 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723002519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrant reward functioning is implicated in depression. While attention precedes behavior and guides higher-order cognitive processes, reward learning from an attentional perspective - the effects of prior reward-learning on subsequent attention allocation - has been mainly overlooked. METHODS The present study explored the effects of reward-based attentional learning in depression using two separate, yet complimentary, studies. In study 1, participants with high (HD) and low (LD) levels of depression symptoms were trained to divert their gaze toward one type of stimuli over another using a novel gaze-contingent music reward paradigm - music played when fixating the desired stimulus type and stopped when gazing the alternate one. Attention allocation was assessed before, during, and following training. In study 2, using negative reinforcement, the same attention allocation pattern was trained while substituting the appetitive music reward for gazing the desired stimulus type with the removal of an aversive sound (i.e. white noise). RESULTS In study 1 both groups showed the intended shift in attention allocation during training (online reward learning), while generalization of learning at post-training was only evident among LD participants. Conversely, in study 2 both groups showed post-training generalization. Results were maintained when introducing anxiety as a covariate, and when using a more powerful sensitivity analysis. Finally, HD participants showed higher learning speed than LD participants during initial online learning, but only when using negative, not positive, reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS Deficient generalization of learning characterizes the attentional system of HD individuals, but only when using reward-based positive reinforcement, not negative reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimrod Hertz-Palmor
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Shani Lavi
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Jonathan Zeltser
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yonatan Kviatek
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Amit Lazarov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Cogan AB, Persons JB, Kring AM. Using the Beck Depression Inventory to Assess Anhedonia: A Scale Validation Study. Assessment 2024; 31:431-443. [PMID: 37039528 PMCID: PMC10822059 DOI: 10.1177/10731911231164628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Anhedonia is central to several psychological disorders and a frequent target of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments. We evaluated the psychometric properties of two widely used anhedonia measures derived from the Beck Depression Inventory: a 3-item (BDI-Anh3) and a 4-item version (BDI-Anh4). We evaluated these measures in a large undergraduate sample, a community sample, and a clinical sample. Both the BDI-Anh3 and the BDI-Anh4 showed adequate internal consistency, with BDI-Anh4 performing somewhat better, across the three samples. Both measures showed good convergent and discriminant validity, even after controlling for shared variance with other items on the BDI. These findings indicate that both measures have sufficient reliability and validity to support their use by researchers and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacqueline B. Persons
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
- Oakland Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center, CA, USA
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18
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Griffith JM, Young JF, Hankin BL. Parental Symptoms of Anhedonia, Parenting, and Youth Outcomes: A Multi-Method, Multi-Informant Investigation. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024; 52:413-427. [PMID: 37801270 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01130-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Parental depression is a well-established risk factor for youth psychopathology; however, depression is highly heterogeneous, and different parental symptom profiles may be differentially associated with risk mechanisms and youth psychopathology outcomes. Thus, this study examined associations between parental anhedonic symptoms of depression, specifically, and (1) parenting and (2) youth outcomes using a multi-method, multi-informant approach. Participants included 595 parents (89% mothers) and youth (ages 8-16; M[SD] = 12.07[2.39]). Regression analyses indicated that parental self-reported anhedonic symptoms at baseline demonstrated relatively specific prospective associations with chronic parent-child stress assessed using contextual stress interview methods, as well as youth self-reported depressive symptoms at 18-month follow-up. Findings also indicated concurrent associations between parental anhedonic symptoms and observed parental criticism, conflict, and responsiveness in the context of a 5-min discussion task, as well as parent self-reported monitoring/supervision, although results were no longer significant after controlling for parental co-occurring non-anhedonic depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that parental anhedonic symptoms may contribute to relatively unique reductions in the quality of the parent-child relationship and may be a particularly salient risk factor for youth depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne M Griffith
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, 603 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
| | - Jami F Young
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin L Hankin
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, 603 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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19
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Golubickis M, Tan LBG, Jalalian P, Falbén JK, Macrae NC. Brief mindfulness-based meditation enhances the speed of learning following positive prediction errors. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024:17470218241228859. [PMID: 38229479 DOI: 10.1177/17470218241228859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has demonstrated that mindfulness-based meditation facilitates basic aspects of cognition, including memory and attention. Further developing this line of inquiry, here we considered the possibility that similar effects may extend to another core psychological process-instrumental learning. To explore this matter, in combination with a probabilistic selection task, computational modelling (i.e., reinforcement drift diffusion model analysis) was adopted to establish whether and how brief mindfulness-based meditation influences learning under conditions of uncertainty (i.e., choices based on the perceived likelihood of positive and negative outcomes). Three effects were observed. Compared with performance in the control condition (i.e., no meditation), mindfulness-based meditation (1) accelerated the rate of learning following positive prediction errors; (2) elicited a preference for the exploration (vs. exploitation) of choice selections; and (3) increased response caution. Collectively, these findings elucidate the pathways through which brief meditative experiences impact learning and decision-making, with implications for interventions designed to debias aspects of social-cognitive functioning using mindfulness-based meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucy B G Tan
- Clinical Psychology, School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Singapore
| | | | - Johanna K Falbén
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Neil C Macrae
- The School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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20
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Segura E, Vilà-Balló A, Mallorquí A, Porto MF, Duarte E, Grau-Sánchez J, Rodríguez-Fornells A. The presence of anhedonia in individuals with subacute and chronic stroke: an exploratory cohort study. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1253028. [PMID: 38384938 PMCID: PMC10880106 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1253028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Anhedonia refers to the diminished capacity to experience pleasure. It has been described both as a symptom of depression and an enduring behavioral trait that contributes its development. Specifically, in stroke patients, anhedonia has been closely linked to depression, resulting in reduced sensitivity to everyday pleasures and intrinsic motivation to engage in rehabilitation programs and maintain a healthy active lifestyle. This condition may hinder patients' recovery, diminishing their autonomy, functioning, and quality of life. Objective We aimed to explore the prevalence and level of anhedonia and those variables that might be associated in patients with both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke at subacute and chronic phases of the disease. Methods We conducted an exploratory cohort study with a sample of 125 patients with subacute and chronic stroke presenting upper-limb motor deficits. We measured participants' level of anhedonia with four items from the Beck Depression Inventory-II that describe the symptoms of this condition: loss of pleasure, loss of interest, loss of energy, and loss of interest in sex. We also collected demographic and clinical information and evaluated motor and cognitive functions as well as levels of depression, apathy, and various mood states. The results were compared to a sample of 71 healthy participants of similar age, sex, and level of education. Results Stroke patients demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence (18.5-19.7%) and level of anhedonia compared to the healthy controls (4.3%), regardless of stroke phase, level of motor impairment, and other clinical variables. Furthermore, post-stroke anhedonia was associated with lower levels of motivation and higher levels of negative mood states such as fatigue and anger in the long term. Importantly, anhedonia level was superior in stroke patients than in healthy controls while controlling for confounding effects of related emotional conditions. Conclusion This study provides novel evidence on the prevalence, level and factors related to anhedonia post-stroke. We emphasize the importance of assessing and treating anhedonia in this population, as well as conducting large-scale cohort and longitudinal studies to test its influence on long-term functional and emotional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Segura
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrià Vilà-Balló
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aida Mallorquí
- Clinical Health Psychology Section, Clinic Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María F. Porto
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Duarte
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jennifer Grau-Sánchez
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Research Group on Complex Health Diagnoses and Interventions from Occupation and Care (OCCARE), Escola Universitària d'Infermeria i Teràpia Ocupacional, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
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21
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Halahakoon DC, Kaltenboeck A, Martens M, Geddes JG, Harmer CJ, Cowen P, Browning M. Pramipexole Enhances Reward Learning by Preserving Value Estimates. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:286-296. [PMID: 37330165 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dopamine D2-like agonists show promise as treatments for depression. They are thought to act by enhancing reward learning; however, the mechanisms by which they achieve this are not clear. Reinforcement learning accounts describe 3 distinct candidate mechanisms: increased reward sensitivity, increased inverse decision-temperature, and decreased value decay. As these mechanisms produce equivalent effects on behavior, arbitrating between them requires measurement of how expectations and prediction errors are altered. We characterized the effects of 2 weeks of the D2-like agonist pramipexole on reward learning and used functional magnetic resonance imaging measures of expectation and prediction error to assess which of these 3 mechanistic processes were responsible for the behavioral effects. METHODS Forty healthy volunteers (50% female) were randomized to 2 weeks of pramipexole (titrated to 1 mg/day) or placebo in a double-blind, between-subject design. Participants completed a probabilistic instrumental learning task before and after the pharmacological intervention, with functional magnetic resonance imaging data collected at the second visit. Asymptotic choice accuracy and a reinforcement learning model were used to assess reward learning. RESULTS Pramipexole increased choice accuracy in the reward condition with no effect on losses. Participants who received pramipexole had increased blood oxygen level-dependent response in the orbital frontal cortex during the expectation of win trials but decreased blood oxygen level-dependent response to reward prediction errors in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This pattern of results indicates that pramipexole enhances choice accuracy by reducing the decay of estimated values during reward learning. CONCLUSIONS The D2-like receptor agonist pramipexole enhances reward learning by preserving learned values. This is a plausible mechanism for pramipexole's antidepressant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don Chamith Halahakoon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Kaltenboeck
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marieke Martens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - John G Geddes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Cowen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Browning
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health National Health Service Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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22
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Kaiser RH, Moser AD, Neilson C, Jones J, Peterson EC, Ruzic L, Rosenberg BM, Hough CM, Sandman C, Schneck CD, Miklowitz DJ. Neurocognitive risk phenotyping to predict mood symptoms in adolescence. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND CLINICAL SCIENCE 2024; 133:90-102. [PMID: 38059934 PMCID: PMC10752243 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Predicting mood disorders in adolescence is a challenge that motivates research to identify neurocognitive predictors of symptom expression and clinical profiles. This study used machine learning to test whether neurocognitive variables predicted future manic or anhedonic symptoms in two adolescent samples risk-enriched for lifetime mood disorders (Sample 1, n = 73, ages = 13-25, M [SD] = 19.22 [2.49] years, 68% lifetime mood disorder) or familial mood disorders (Sample 2, n = 154, ages = 13-21, M [SD] = 16.46 [1.95] years, 62% first-degree family history of mood disorder). Participants completed cognitive testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline, for behavioral and neural measures of reward processing and executive functioning. Next, participants completed a daily diary procedure for 8-16 weeks. Penalized mixed-effects models identified neurocognitive predictors of future mood symptoms and stress-reactive changes in mood symptoms. Results included the following. In both samples, adolescents showing ventral corticostriatal reward hyposensitivity and lower reward performance reported more severe stress-reactive anhedonia. Poorer executive functioning behavior was associated with heightened anhedonia overall in Sample 1, but lower stress-reactive anhedonia in both samples. In Sample 1, adolescents showing ventral corticostriatal reward hypersensitivity and poorer executive functioning reported more severe stress-reactive manic symptoms. Clustering analyses identified, and replicated, five neurocognitive subgroups. Adolescents characterized by neural or behavioral reward hyposensitivities together with average-to-poor executive functioning reported unipolar symptom profiles. Adolescents showing neural reward hypersensitivity together with poor behavioral executive functioning reported a bipolar symptom profile (Sample 1 only). Together, neurocognitive phenotypes may hold value for predicting symptom expression and profiles of mood pathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roselinde H Kaiser
- Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Amelia D Moser
- Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Chiara Neilson
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Jenna Jones
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Elena C Peterson
- Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Luke Ruzic
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder
| | | | | | | | | | - David J Miklowitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
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23
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Rappaport BI, Kujawa A, Arfer KB, Pegg S, Kelly D, Jackson JJ, Luby JL, Barch DM. Behavioral and psychiatric correlates of brain responses to social feedback. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14413. [PMID: 37612834 PMCID: PMC10841166 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptive responses to peer acceptance and rejection arise in numerous psychiatric disorders in adolescence; yet, homogeneity and heterogeneity across disorders suggest common and unique mechanisms of impaired social function. We tested the hypothesis that social feedback is processed similarly to other forms of feedback (e.g., monetary) by examining the correspondence between the brain's response to social acceptance and rejection and behavioral performance on a separate reward and loss task. We also examined the relationship between these brain responses and depression and social anxiety severity. The sample consisted of one hundred and thirteen 16-21-year olds who received virtual peer acceptance/rejection feedback in an event-related potential (ERP) task. We used temporospatial principal component analysis and identified a component consistent with the reward positivity (RewP) or feedback negativity (FN). RewP to social acceptance was not significantly related to reward bias or the FN to social rejection related to loss avoidance. The relationship between RewP and depression severity, while nonsignificant, was of a similar magnitude to prior studies. Exploratory analyses yielded a significant relationship between lower socioeconomic status (SES) and blunted RewP and between lower SES and heightened loss avoidance and blunted reward bias. These findings build on prior work to improve our understanding of the function of the brain's response to social feedback, while also suggesting a pathway for further study, whereby poverty leads to depression via social and reward learning mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology & Human Development Vanderbilt University
| | | | - Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology & Human Development Vanderbilt University
| | - Danielle Kelly
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
| | | | - Joan L. Luby
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Psychological & Brain Science Washington University in St. Louis
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
- Department of Radiology School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
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24
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Spilka MJ, Raugh IM, Berglund AM, Visser KF, Strauss GP. Reinforcement learning profiles and negative symptoms across chronic and clinical high-risk phases of psychotic illness. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:1747-1760. [PMID: 36477406 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01528-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Negative symptoms are prominent in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR). In SZ, negative symptoms are linked to reinforcement learning (RL) dysfunction; however, previous research suggests implicit RL remains intact. It is unknown whether implicit RL is preserved in the CHR phase where negative symptom mechanisms are unclear, knowledge of which may assist in developing early identification and prevention methods. Participants from two studies completed an implicit RL task: Study 1 included 53 SZ individuals and 54 healthy controls (HC); Study 2 included 26 CHR youth and 23 HCs. Bias trajectories reflecting implicit RL were compared between groups and correlations with negative symptoms were examined. Cluster analysis investigated RL profiles across the combined samples. Implicit RL was comparable between HC and their corresponding SZ and CHR groups. However, cluster analysis was able to parse performance heterogeneity across diagnostic boundaries into two distinct RL profiles: a Positive/Early Learning cluster (65% of participants) with positive bias scores increasing from the first to second task block, and a Negative/Late Learning cluster (35% of participants) with negative bias scores increasing from the second to third block. Clusters did not differ in the proportion of CHR vs. SZ cases; however, the Negative/Late Learning cluster had more severe negative symptoms. Although implicit RL is intact in CHR similar to SZ, distinct implicit RL phenotypic profiles with elevated negative symptoms were identified trans-phasically, suggesting distinct reward-processing mechanisms can contribute to negative symptoms independent of phases of illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Spilka
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Ian M Raugh
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Alysia M Berglund
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Katherine F Visser
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Gregory P Strauss
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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25
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Whitton AE, Kumar P, Treadway MT, Rutherford AV, Ironside ML, Foti D, Fitzmaurice G, Du F, Pizzagalli DA. Distinct profiles of anhedonia and reward processing and their prospective associations with quality of life among individuals with mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5272-5281. [PMID: 37402852 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02165-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Leading professional health bodies have called for the wider adoption of Patient Reported Outcome Measures, such as quality of life, in research and clinical practice as a means for understanding why the global burden of depression continues to climb despite increased rates of treatment use. Here, we examined whether anhedonia-an often recalcitrant and impairing symptom of depression-along with its neural correlates, was associated with longitudinal changes in patient-reported quality of life among individuals seeking treatment for mood disorders. We recruited 112 participants, including n = 80 individuals with mood disorders (58 unipolar, 22 bipolar) and n = 32 healthy controls (63.4% female). We assessed anhedonia severity along with two electroencephalographic markers of neural reward responsiveness (scalp-level 'Reward Positivity' amplitude and source-localized reward-related activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex), and assessed quality of life at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up. Anhedonia emerged as a robust correlate of quality of life cross-sectionally and longitudinally among individuals with mood disorders. Furthermore, increased neural reward responsiveness at baseline was associated with greater improvements in quality of life over time, and this improvement was mediated by longitudinal improvements in anhedonia severity. Finally, differences in quality of life observed between individuals with unipolar and bipolar mood disorders were mediated by differences in anhedonia severity. Our findings indicate that anhedonia and its reward-related neural correlates are linked to variability in quality of life over time in individuals with mood disorders. Treatments capable of improving anhedonia and normalizing brain reward function may be necessary for improving broader health outcomes for individuals seeking treatment for depression.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01976975.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis E Whitton
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- McLean Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Poornima Kumar
- McLean Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Dan Foti
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | - Fei Du
- McLean Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
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26
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Carstens L, Popp M, Keicher C, Hertrampf R, Weigner D, Meiering MS, Luippold G, Süssmuth SD, Beckmann CF, Wunder A, Grimm S. Effects of a single dose of amisulpride on functional brain changes during reward- and motivation-related processing using task-based fMRI in healthy subjects and patients with major depressive disorder - study protocol for a randomized clinical trial. Trials 2023; 24:761. [PMID: 38012795 PMCID: PMC10683198 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07788-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia and other deficits in reward- and motivation-related processing in psychiatric patients, including patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), represent a high unmet medical need. Neurobiologically, these deficits in MDD patients are mainly associated with low dopamine function in a frontostriatal network. In this study, alterations in brain activation changes during reward processing and at rest in MDD patients compared with healthy subjects are explored and the effects of a single low dose of the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist amisulpride are investigated. METHODS This is a randomized, controlled, double-blind, single-dose, single-center parallel-group clinical trial to assess the effects of a single dose of amisulpride (100 mg) on blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) responses during reward- and motivation-related processing in healthy subjects (n = 60) and MDD patients (n = 60). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), BOLD responses are assessed during the monetary incentive delay (MID) task (primary outcome). Exploratory outcomes include BOLD responses and behavioral measures during the MID task, instrumental learning task, effort-based decision-making task, social incentive delay task, and probabilistic reward task as well as changes in resting state functional connectivity and cerebral blood flow. DISCUSSION This study broadly covers all aspects of reward- and motivation-related processing as categorized by the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria and is thereby an important step towards precision psychiatry. Results regarding the immediate effects of a dopaminergic drug on deficits in reward- and motivation-related processing not only have the potential to significantly broaden our understanding of underlying neurobiological processes but might eventually also pave the way for new treatment options. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05347199. April 12, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margot Popp
- Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an Der Riss, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Gerd Luippold
- Clinical Development and Operations, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an Der Riss, Germany
| | - Sigurd D Süssmuth
- Medicine Therapeutic Area CNS-Retinopathies-Emerging Areas, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Biberach an Der Riss, Germany
| | - Christian F Beckmann
- Donders Institute, Centre for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- SBGneuro Ltd, Littlemore, Oxford, UK
| | - Andreas Wunder
- Translational Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an Der Riss, Germany
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27
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Guo X, Zeng D, Wang Y. A Semiparametric Inverse Reinforcement Learning Approach to Characterize Decision Making for Mental Disorders. J Am Stat Assoc 2023; 119:27-38. [PMID: 38706706 PMCID: PMC11068237 DOI: 10.1080/01621459.2023.2261184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading causes of disability-adjusted life years. Emerging evidence indicates the presence of reward processing abnormalities in MDD. An important scientific question is whether the abnormalities are due to reduced sensitivity to received rewards or reduced learning ability. Motivated by the probabilistic reward task (PRT) experiment in the EMBARC study, we propose a semiparametric inverse reinforcement learning (RL) approach to characterize the reward-based decision-making of MDD patients. The model assumes that a subject's decision-making process is updated based on a reward prediction error weighted by the subject-specific learning rate. To account for the fact that one favors a decision leading to a potentially high reward, but this decision process is not necessarily linear, we model reward sensitivity with a non-decreasing and nonlinear function. For inference, we estimate the latter via approximation by I-splines and then maximize the joint conditional log-likelihood. We show that the resulting estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. Through extensive simulation studies, we demonstrate that under different reward-generating distributions, the semiparametric inverse RL outperforms the parametric inverse RL. We apply the proposed method to EMBARC and find that MDD and control groups have similar learning rates but different reward sensitivity functions. There is strong statistical evidence that reward sensitivity functions have nonlinear forms. Using additional brain imaging data in the same study, we find that both reward sensitivity and learning rate are associated with brain activities in the negative affect circuitry under an emotional conflict task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingche Guo
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University
| | - Donglin Zeng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan
| | - Yuanjia Wang
- Departments of Biostatistics and Psychiatry, Columbia University
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28
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Yamamori Y, Robinson OJ, Roiser JP. Approach-avoidance reinforcement learning as a translational and computational model of anxiety-related avoidance. eLife 2023; 12:RP87720. [PMID: 37963085 PMCID: PMC10645421 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Although avoidance is a prevalent feature of anxiety-related psychopathology, differences in the measurement of avoidance between humans and non-human animals hinder our progress in its theoretical understanding and treatment. To address this, we developed a novel translational measure of anxiety-related avoidance in the form of an approach-avoidance reinforcement learning task, by adapting a paradigm from the non-human animal literature to study the same cognitive processes in human participants. We used computational modelling to probe the putative cognitive mechanisms underlying approach-avoidance behaviour in this task and investigated how they relate to subjective task-induced anxiety. In a large online study (n = 372), participants who experienced greater task-induced anxiety avoided choices associated with punishment, even when this resulted in lower overall reward. Computational modelling revealed that this effect was explained by greater individual sensitivities to punishment relative to rewards. We replicated these findings in an independent sample (n = 627) and we also found fair-to-excellent reliability of measures of task performance in a sub-sample retested 1 week later (n = 57). Our findings demonstrate the potential of approach-avoidance reinforcement learning tasks as translational and computational models of anxiety-related avoidance. Future studies should assess the predictive validity of this approach in clinical samples and experimental manipulations of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeya Yamamori
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Oliver J Robinson
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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29
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Kamenish K, Robinson ESJ. Neuropsychological Effects of Antidepressants: Translational Studies. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 37955824 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological treatments that improve mood were first identified serendipitously, but more than half a century later, how these drugs induce their antidepressant effects remains largely unknown. With the help of animal models, a detailed understanding of their pharmacological targets and acute and chronic effects on brain chemistry and neuronal function has been achieved, but it remains to be elucidated how these effects translate to clinical efficacy. Whilst the field has been dominated by the monoamine and neurotrophic hypotheses, the idea that the maladaptive cognitive process plays a critical role in the development and perpetuation of mood disorders has been discussed since the 1950s. Recently, studies using objective methods to quantify changes in emotional processing found acute effects with conventional antidepressants in both healthy volunteers and patients. These positive effects on emotional processing and cognition occur without a change in the subjective ratings of mood. Building from these studies, behavioural methods for animals that quantify similar cognitive affective processes have been developed. Integrating these behavioural approaches with pharmacology and targeted brain manipulations, a picture is beginning to emerge of the underlying mechanisms that may link the pharmacology of antidepressants, these neuropsychological constructs and clinical efficacy. In this chapter, we discuss findings from animal studies, experimental medicine and patients investigating the neuropsychological effects of antidepressant drugs. We discuss the possible neural circuits that contribute to these effects and discuss whether a neuropsychological model of antidepressant effects could explain the temporal differences in clinical benefits observed with conventional delayed-onset antidepressants versus rapid-acting antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Kamenish
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, UK
| | - Emma S J Robinson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, UK.
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30
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Dolan SC, Kambanis PE, Stern CM, Becker KR, Breithaupt L, Gydus J, Smith S, Misra M, Micali N, Lawson EA, Eddy KT, Thomas JJ. Anticipatory and consummatory pleasure in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:198. [PMID: 37950288 PMCID: PMC10638737 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00921-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research suggests that individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report elevated anhedonia, or loss of pleasure. Although individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) often express that they do not look forward to eating, it is unclear whether they experience lower pleasure than those without EDs. Thus, identifying whether individuals with ARFID experience anhedonia may yield important insights that inform clinical conceptualization and treatment. METHODS A sample of 71 participants ages 10-23 with full and subthreshold ARFID and 33 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview, a diagnostic interview to assess ARFID profile severity (lack of interest in food, sensory sensitivity, fear of aversive consequences) and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS), a self-report measure of consummatory and anticipatory pleasure. Statistical analyses were performed using the full TEPS and also the TEPS with food-related items removed. RESULTS The ARFID group reported significantly lower anticipatory and consummatory pleasure compared to HCs, but these differences were no longer significant after controlling for depression, nor after removing food items from the TEPS. Within the ARFID sample, greater ARFID severity was associated with lower anticipatory pleasure across analyses, and greater endorsement of the lack of interest in food profile was related to lower anticipatory pleasure. ARFID severity was also associated with lower consummatory pleasure using the full TEPS, but this relationship was no longer significant with food items removed. CONCLUSIONS These results provide initial evidence for lower pleasure before potentially pleasurable events in individuals with more severe ARFID, particularly those with the lack of interest phenotype. Our findings also suggest that depression is likely to contribute low pleasure in this population. Future research should seek to further characterize how dimensions of pleasure relate to the maintenance and treatment of ARFID symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Dolan
- Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - P Evelyna Kambanis
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Casey M Stern
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Kendra R Becker
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Julia Gydus
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Smith
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Nadia Micali
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Eating Disorders Research Unit, Mental Health Center Ballerup, Ballerup, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kamryn T Eddy
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer J Thomas
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2 Longfellow Place, Suite 200, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Gallyer AJ, Burani K, Mulligan EM, Santopetro N, Dougherty SP, Jeon ME, Nelson BD, Joiner TE, Hajcak G. Examining Blunted Initial Response to Reward and Recent Suicidal Ideation in Children and Adolescents Using Event-Related Potentials: Failure to Conceptually Replicate Across Two Independent Samples. Clin Psychol Sci 2023; 11:1011-1025. [PMID: 38098687 PMCID: PMC10720695 DOI: 10.1177/21677026221120426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
A recent study by Tsypes and colleagues (2019) found that children with recent suicidal ideation had blunted neural reward processing, as measured by the reward positivity (RewP), compared to matched controls, and that this difference was driven by reduced neural responses to monetary loss, rather than to reward. Here, we aimed to conceptually replicate and extend these findings in two samples (n = 264, 27 with suicidal ideation; and n = 314, 49 with suicidal ideation at baseline) of children and adolescents (11 to 15 years and 8 to 15 years, respectively). Results from both samples showed no evidence that children and adolescents with suicidal ideation have abnormal reward or loss processing, nor that reward processing predicts suicidal ideation two years later. The results highlight the need for greater statistical power, as well as continued research examining the neural underpinnings of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Min Eun Jeon
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University
| | | | | | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University
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32
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Hisey EE, Fritsch EL, Newman EL, Ressler KJ, Kangas BD, Carlezon WA. Early life stress in male mice blunts responsiveness in a translationally-relevant reward task. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1752-1759. [PMID: 37258714 PMCID: PMC10579416 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01610-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) leaves signatures upon the brain that persist throughout the lifespan and increase the risk of psychiatric illnesses including mood and anxiety disorders. In humans, myriad forms of ELS-including childhood abuse, bullying, poverty, and trauma-are increasingly prevalent. Understanding the signs of ELS, including those associated with psychiatric illness, will enable improved treatment and prevention. Here, we developed a novel procedure to model human ELS in mice and identify translationally-relevant biomarkers of mood and anxiety disorders. We exposed male mice (C57BL/6 J) to an early-life (juvenile) chronic social defeat stress (jCSDS) and examined social interaction and responsivity to reward during adulthood. As expected, jCSDS-exposed mice showed a socially avoidant phenotype in open-field social interaction tests. However, sucrose preference tests failed to demonstrate ELS-induced reductions in choice for the sweetened solution, suggesting no effect on reward function. To explore whether other tasks might be more sensitive to changes in motivation, we tested the mice in the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT), a procedure often used in humans to study reward learning deficits associated with depressive illness. In a touchscreen PRT variant that was reverse-translated to maximize alignment with the version used in human subjects, mice exposed to jCSDS displayed significant reductions in the tendency to develop response biases for the more richly-rewarded stimulus, a hallmark sign of anhedonia when observed in humans. Our findings suggest that translationally-relevant procedures that utilize the same endpoints across species may enable the development of improved model systems that more accurately predict outcomes in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Hisey
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
| | - Emma L Fritsch
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Emily L Newman
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Brian D Kangas
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - William A Carlezon
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
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33
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Sailer U, Wurm F, Pfabigan DM. Social and non-social feedback stimuli lead to comparable levels of reward learning and reward responsiveness in an online probabilistic reward task. Behav Res Methods 2023:10.3758/s13428-023-02255-6. [PMID: 37845425 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02255-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Social stimuli seem to be processed more easily and efficiently than non-social stimuli. The current study tested whether social feedback stimuli improve reward learning in a probabilistic reward task (PRT), in which one response option is usually rewarded more often than the other via presentation of non-social reward stimuli. In a pre-registered online study with 305 participants, 75 participants were presented with a non-social feedback stimulus (a star) and information about gains, which is typically used in published PRT studies. Three other groups (with 73-82 participants each) were presented with one of three social feedback stimuli: verbal praise, an attractive happy face, or a "thumbs up"-picture. The data were analysed based on classical signal detection theory, drift diffusion modelling, and Bayesian analyses of null effects. All PRT variants yielded the expected behavioural preference for the more frequently rewarded response. There was no processing advantage of social over non-social feedback stimuli. Bayesian analyses further supported the observation that social feedback stimuli neither increased nor decreased behavioural preferences in the PRT. The current findings suggest that the PRT is a robust experimental paradigm independent of the applied feedback stimuli. They also suggest that the occurrence of a processing advantage for social feedback stimuli is dependent on the experimental task and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uta Sailer
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Sognsvannsveien 9, 0372, Oslo, Norway
| | - Franz Wurm
- Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 AK, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, 2333 AK, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela M Pfabigan
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Sognsvannsveien 9, 0372, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
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34
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Darrow SM, Pizzagalli DA, Smoski M, Mathew SJ, Nurnberger J, Lisanby SH, Iosifescu D, Murrough JW, Yang H, Weiner RD, Sanacora G, Keefe RSE, Song A, Goodman W, Whitton AE, Potter WZ, Krystal AD. Using latent profile analyses to classify subjects with anhedonia based on reward-related measures obtained in the FAST-MAS study. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:584-592. [PMID: 37467805 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence indicates that anhedonia is a multifaceted construct. This study examined the possibility of identifying subgroups of people with anhedonia using multiple reward-related measures to provide greater understanding the Research Domain Criteria's Positive Valence Systems Domain and pathways for developing treatments. METHODS Latent profile analysis of baseline data from a study that examined the effects of a novel kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist drug on measures and biomarkers associated with anhedonia was used to identify subgroups. Measures included ventral striatal activation during the Monetary Incentive Delay task, response bias in the Probabilistic Reward Task, reward valuation scores from the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task, and scores from reward-related self-report measures. RESULTS Two subgroups were identified, which differed on self-report measures of reward. Participants in the subgroup reporting more anhedonia also reported more depression and had greater illness severity and functional impairments. Graphs of change with treatment showed a trend for the less severe subgroup to demonstrate higher response to KOR antagonist treatment on the neuroimaging measure, probabilistic reward task, and ratings of functioning; the subgroup with greater severity showed a trend for higher treatment response on reward-related self-report measures. LIMITATIONS The main limitations include the small sample size and exploratory nature of analyses. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of possible dissociation between self-reported measures of anhedonia and other measures with respect to treatment response emerged. These results highlight the importance for future research to consider severity of self-reported reward-related deficits and how the relationship across measurement methods may vary with severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M Darrow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, United States of America.
| | | | - Moria Smoski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, United States of America
| | | | - John Nurnberger
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Sarah H Lisanby
- National Institute of Mental Health, United States of America
| | | | - James W Murrough
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, United States of America
| | | | | | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, United States of America
| | - Richard S E Keefe
- Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Allen Song
- Duke University, United States of America
| | - Wayne Goodman
- Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, United States of America
| | | | | | - Andrew D Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, United States of America
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Zheng Y, Wang Z, Gao B, Zhou L, Li Q. Dysfunction of visual novelty detection in physical but not social anhedonia in a non-clinical sample. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2023; 23:100407. [PMID: 37705683 PMCID: PMC10495605 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/objective Despite its obvious motivational impairment, anhedonia as a transdiagnostic psychopathological construct is accompanied by deficits in attention function. Previous studies have identified voluntary attention anomalies in anhedonia, but its involuntary attention has received less study. Method Using a visual novelty oddball task, the current event-related potential study assessed electrophysical correlates underlying mismatch detection in anhedonia with a non-clinical sample. Well-matched healthy control (N = 28; CNT), social anhedonia (N = 27; SA), and physical anhedonia (N = 26; PA) groups were presented standard, target, and perceptually novel stimuli while their EEG was recording. Results The PA group relative to the CNT group exhibited a reduced N2 to novel stimuli but not to target stimuli. In contrast, the SA group as compared to the other two groups showed comparable N2 responses to both target and novel stimuli. Control analyses indicated that these patterns were unaffected by depression symptoms. Conclusions These findings suggest that anhedonia is a heterogenous construct associated with impairments in early detection of visual novelty in physical but not social anhedonia, highlighting that dysfunction in involuntary attention may play a mediating role in the development, maintenance, and consequences of anhedonia-related psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qi Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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Pizzagalli D, Whitton A, Treadway M, Rutherford A, Kumar P, Ironside M, Kaiser R, Ren B, Dan R. Brain-based graph-theoretical predictive modeling to map the trajectory of transdiagnostic symptoms of anhedonia, impulsivity, and hypomania from the human functional connectome. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3168186. [PMID: 37841877 PMCID: PMC10571608 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3168186/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Clinical assessments often fail to discriminate between unipolar and bipolar depression and identify individuals who will develop future (hypo)manic episodes. To address this challenge, we developed a brain-based graph-theoretical predictive model (GPM) to prospectively map symptoms of anhedonia, impulsivity, and (hypo)mania. Individuals seeking treatment for mood disorders (n = 80) underwent an fMRI scan, including (i) resting-state and (ii) a reinforcement-learning (RL) task. Symptoms were assessed at baseline as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. A whole-brain functional connectome was computed for each fMRI task, and the GPM was applied for symptom prediction using cross-validation. Prediction performance was evaluated by comparing the GPM's mean square error (MSE) to that of a corresponding null model. In addition, the GPM was compared to the connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM). Cross-sectionally, the GPM predicted anhedonia from the global efficiency (a graph theory metric that quantifies information transfer across the connectome) during the RL task, and impulsivity from the centrality (a metric that captures the importance of a region for information spread) of the left anterior cingulate cortex during resting-state. At 6-month follow-up, the GPM predicted (hypo)manic symptoms from the local efficiency of the left nucleus accumbens during the RL task and anhedonia from the centrality of the left caudate during resting-state. Notably, the GPM outperformed the CPM, and GPM derived from individuals with unipolar disorders predicted anhedonia and impulsivity symptoms for individuals with bipolar disorders, highlighting transdiagnostic generalization. Taken together, across DSM mood diagnoses, efficiency and centrality of the reward circuit predicted symptoms of anhedonia, impulsivity, and (hypo)mania, cross-sectionally and prospectively. The GPM is an innovative modeling approach that may ultimately inform clinical prediction at the individual level. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01976975.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexis Whitton
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Boyu Ren
- McLean Hospital / Harvard Medical School
| | - Rotem Dan
- McLean Hospital / Harvard Medical School
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Stamatovich SN, Simons RM, Simons JS. Anhedonia and impulsivity in college alcohol use: A path analysis. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37722885 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2249116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alcohol use is a substantial problem among college students and has several negative consequences. The current study examined the associations between anhedonia and alcohol use and related problems via impulsive behavior (e.g., negative urgency, sensation seeking). We parsed anhedonia into four specific facets: consummatory, anticipatory, recreational, and social anhedonia. PARTICIPANTS Six hundred and forty college students aged 18-25 were included in the final analysis. METHOD Data were collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Self-report inventories assessing for anhedonia, alcohol use, impulsive behavior, and depressed mood were utilized. RESULTS Recreational consummatory anhedonia was negatively associated with alcohol use and alcohol-related problems through negative urgency. Recreational consummatory anhedonia also had significant negative associations with alcohol consumption via sensation seeking. Further, social anticipatory anhedonia was positively associated with alcohol use and related problems via negative urgency. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights important associations between anhedonia, impulsivity, and alcohol use and related problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney N Stamatovich
- Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - Raluca M Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
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Potsch L, Rief W. Transdiagnostic considerations of the relationship between reward sensitivity and psychopathological symptoms - a cross-lagged panel analysis. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:650. [PMID: 37667190 PMCID: PMC10478275 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reward sensitivity constitutes a potential key mechanism regarding the etiology and maintenance of mental disorders, especially depression. However, due to a lack of longitudinal studies, the temporal dynamics are not clear yet. Although some evidence indicates that reward processing could be a transdiagnostic mechanism of disorders, these observations could be also a product of comorbidity with depression. This study aimed at investigating the temporal dynamics of reward sensitivity and the course of psychopathological symptoms in a longitudinal investigation, while taking a possible mediating role of depression into account. METHODS We conducted a three-wave longitudinal online survey with a 4-week interval. A total of N = 453 participants filled out all three questionnaires. Reward sensitivity was assessed with the Positive Valence System Scale-21 (PVSS-21), depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), eating disorder symptoms with the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire-8 (EDE-Q-8), social anxiety with the Mini-social phobia inventory (Mini-SPIN) and alcohol consumption with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). Cross-lagged panels and mediation analyses were calculated using path analyses. RESULTS Depressive and eating disorder symptoms predicted reward insensitivity at later points in time. Effects were larger from T2 to T3. A bidirectional relationship concerning social anxiety was found. Higher alcohol consumption predicted higher reward sensitivity. Depression at T2 fully mediated the association between psychopathological symptoms at T1 and reward sensitivity at T3 for social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our findings imply that reduced reward sensitivity seems to be a consequence rather than an antecedent of psychopathological symptoms. Comorbid depression plays a crucial role in other mental disorders regarding observed hyposensitivity towards rewards. Therefore, our results do not support a transdiagnostic notion of reward sensitivity, but they indicate a potential role of reward sensitivity for symptom persistence. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (OSF) ( https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-6n3s8-v1 ; registration DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6N3S8 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- L Potsch
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, D-35032, Marburg, Germany.
| | - W Rief
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, D-35032, Marburg, Germany
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Biernacki K, Molokotos E, Han C, Dillon DG, Leventhal AM, Janes AC. Enhanced decision-making in nicotine dependent individuals who abstain: A computational analysis using Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Modeling. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 250:110890. [PMID: 37480798 PMCID: PMC10530296 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Variability in decision-making capacity and reward responsiveness may underlie differences in the ability to abstain from smoking. Computational modeling of choice behavior, as with the Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Model (HDDM), can help dissociate reward responsiveness from underlying components of decision-making. Here we used the HDDM to identify which decision-making or reward-related parameters, extracted from data acquired in a reward processing task, contributed to the ability of people who smoke that are not seeking treatment to abstain from cigarettes during a laboratory task. METHODS 80 adults who smoke cigarettes completed the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) - a signal detection task with a differential reinforcement schedule - following smoking as usual, and the Relapse Analogue Task (RAT) - a task in which participants could earn money for delaying smoking up to 50min - after a period of overnight abstinence. Two cohorts were defined by the RAT; those who waited either 0-min (n=36) or the full 50-min (n=44) before smoking. RESULTS PRT signal detection metrics indicated all subjects learned the task contingencies, with no differences in response bias or discriminability between the two groups. However, HDDM analyses indicated faster drift rates in 50-min vs. 0-min waiters. CONCLUSIONS Relative to those who did not abstain, computational modeling indicated that people who abstained from smoking for 50min showed faster evidence accumulation during reward-based decision-making. These results highlight the importance of decision-making mechanisms to smoking abstinence, and suggest that focusing on the evidence accumulation process may yield new targets for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Biernacki
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD21224, United States.
| | - Elena Molokotos
- Suffolk University, Boston, MA02116, United States; CBTeam, Lexington, MA02421, United States
| | - Chungmin Han
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD21224, United States
| | - Daniel G Dillon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA02478, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115, United States
| | - Adam M Leventhal
- Institute for Addiction Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033, United States
| | - Amy C Janes
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD21224, United States
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Burkhouse KL, Dao A, Argiros A, Granros M, Cárdenas E, Dickey L, Feurer C, Hill K, Pegg S, Venanzi L, Kujawa A. Targeting positive valence systems function in children of mothers with depressive symptoms: A pilot randomized trial of an RDoC-Informed preventive intervention. Behav Res Ther 2023; 168:104384. [PMID: 37591042 PMCID: PMC10542884 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Reduced activation of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) positive valence systems (PVS) is observed in high-risk (HR) children of depressed mothers and predictive of future psychopathologies. We developed a dyadic, neuroscience-informed preventive intervention, Family Promoting Positive Emotions (FPPE), designed to prevent psychopathology in HR children by targeting PVS processes. We evaluated the initial efficacy of FPPE compared to written information (WI) psychoeducation in engaging PVS-related targets and reducing perceived stress and emotional distress symptoms in HR youth. Participants included 74 children ages 8-12 years and their biological mothers reporting elevated depressive symptoms. Following random assignment, 55 dyads completed FPPE (n = 29) or WI (n = 26) and pre-post assessments of child clinical symptoms. Youth completed a reinforcement learning task and 10 days of positive affect ratings to assess PVS-related targets. Results revealed a small within-subjects increase in child daily positive affect in FPPE, but not WI. Further, FPPE resulted in reductions in mother-reported child perceived stress and symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression with medium-to-large within-subjects effects. Intervention effects on reinforcement learning and child-rated clinical symptoms were not observed. This study suggests FPPE shows promise in enhancing positive affect and reducing the emergence of clinical symptoms in HR children. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT05223842.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L Burkhouse
- The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA; The Ohio State University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, USA
| | - Anh Dao
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Alexandra Argiros
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Maria Granros
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, USA
| | - Emilia Cárdenas
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Lindsay Dickey
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Cope Feurer
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, USA
| | - Kaylin Hill
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Samantha Pegg
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Lisa Venanzi
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA.
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Phillips RD, Walsh EC, Zürcher NR, Lalush DS, Kinard JL, Tseng CE, Cernasov PM, Kan D, Cummings K, Kelley L, Campbell D, Dillon DG, Pizzagalli DA, Izquierdo-Garcia D, Hooker JM, Smoski MJ, Dichter GS. Striatal dopamine in anhedonia: A simultaneous [ 11C]raclopride positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2023; 333:111660. [PMID: 37301129 PMCID: PMC10594643 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia is hypothesized to be associated with blunted mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) functioning in samples with major depressive disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine linkages between striatal DA, reward circuitry functioning, anhedonia, and, in an exploratory fashion, self-reported stress, in a transdiagnostic anhedonic sample. METHODS Participants with (n = 25) and without (n = 12) clinically impairing anhedonia completed a reward-processing task during simultaneous positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance (PET-MR) imaging with [11C]raclopride, a DA D2/D3 receptor antagonist that selectively binds to striatal DA receptors. RESULTS Relative to controls, the anhedonia group exhibited decreased task-related DA release in the left putamen, caudate, and nucleus accumbens and right putamen and pallidum. There were no group differences in task-related brain activation (fMRI) during reward processing after correcting for multiple comparisons. General functional connectivity (GFC) findings revealed blunted fMRI connectivity between PET-derived striatal seeds and target regions in the anhedonia group. Associations were identified between anhedonia severity and the magnitude of task-related DA release to rewards in the left putamen, but not mesocorticolimbic GFC. CONCLUSIONS Results provide evidence for reduced striatal DA functioning during reward processing and blunted mesocorticolimbic network functional connectivity in a transdiagnostic sample with clinically significant anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Phillips
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Erin C Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Nicole R Zürcher
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - David S Lalush
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Jessica L Kinard
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chieh-En Tseng
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Paul M Cernasov
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Delia Kan
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kaitlin Cummings
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lisalynn Kelley
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - David Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Daniel G Dillon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - David Izquierdo-Garcia
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Jacob M Hooker
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Moria J Smoski
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Gabriel S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Oh H, Lee J, Patriquin MA, Oldham J, Salas R. Reward Processing in Psychiatric Inpatients With Depression. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:731-740. [PMID: 34174484 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous neuroimaging studies have investigated reward-processing dysfunction in major depressive disorder and have led to the common finding that major depressive disorder is associated with reduced reward responses within the reward circuit. Yet it is unclear whether such reward-processing dysfunction is specifically associated with the severity of depressive symptoms in major depressive disorder or is associated with common comorbidities. METHODS We investigated reward-processing differences using a classic juice-delivery functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment to compare psychiatric patients with severe depressive symptoms (DEPs) to both psychiatric control subjects (PCs) and healthy control subjects. In this study, the DEPs (n = 108) were matched to healthy control subjects (n = 62) for demographic characteristics and to the PCs (n = 108) for demographics and comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. An a priori region of interest, the left putamen, was selected using previous studies. An exploratory whole-brain analysis was performed to explore for nonhypothesized regions. RESULTS Relative to the PCs and healthy control subjects, the DEP group showed smaller responses to reward stimulus in the left putamen. Whole-brain exploratory analysis revealed that DEPs had significantly lower responses to reward stimulus in the bilateral dorsal striatum (putamen and caudate), middle frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, and middle cingulate cortex than PCs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that DEPs may have a lesser ability to modulate behavior as a function of reward, especially in those individuals who experience the most severe depressive symptoms. In both DEPs and PCs, the severity of depressive symptoms was related to reduced reward responses in the left putamen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuntaek Oh
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, Texas
| | - Jaehoon Lee
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership, College of Education, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Michelle A Patriquin
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, Texas
| | - John Oldham
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, Texas
| | - Ramiro Salas
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, Texas; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
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Murray L, Israel ES, Balkind EG, Pastro B, Lovell-Smith N, Lukas SE, Forbes EE, Pizzagalli DA, Webb CA. Multi-modal assessment of reward functioning in adolescent anhedonia. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4424-4433. [PMID: 35711146 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722001222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia is a core symptom of depression that predicts worse treatment outcomes. Dysfunction in neural reward circuits is thought to contribute to anhedonia. However, whether laboratory-based assessments of anhedonia and reward-related neural function translate to adolescents' subjective affective experiences in real-world contexts remains unclear. METHODS We recruited a sample of adolescents (n = 82; ages 12-18; mean = 15.83) who varied in anhedonia and measured the relationships among clinician-rated and self-reported anhedonia, behaviorally assessed reward learning ability, neural response to monetary reward and loss (as assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging), and repeated ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) in daily life. RESULTS Anhedonia was associated with lower mean PA and higher mean NA across the 5-day EMA period. Anhedonia was not related to impaired behavioral reward learning, but low PA was associated with reduced nucleus accumbens response during reward anticipation and reduced medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) response during reward outcome. Greater mean NA was associated with increased mPFC response to loss outcome. CONCLUSIONS Traditional laboratory-based measures of anhedonia were associated with lower subjective PA and higher subjective NA in youths' daily lives. Lower subjective PA and higher subjective NA were associated with decreased reward-related striatal functioning. Higher NA was also related to increased mPFC activity to loss. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that laboratory-based measures of anhedonia translate to real-world contexts and that subjective ratings of PA and NA may be associated with neural response to reward and loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Murray
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Elana S Israel
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Emma G Balkind
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Brianna Pastro
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | - Scott E Lukas
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erika E Forbes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Christian A Webb
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
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Vandendriessche H, Demmou A, Bavard S, Yadak J, Lemogne C, Mauras T, Palminteri S. Contextual influence of reinforcement learning performance of depression: evidence for a negativity bias? Psychol Med 2023; 53:4696-4706. [PMID: 35726513 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722001593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Value-based decision-making impairment in depression is a complex phenomenon: while some studies did find evidence of blunted reward learning and reward-related signals in the brain, others indicate no effect. Here we test whether such reward sensitivity deficits are dependent on the overall value of the decision problem. METHODS We used a two-armed bandit task with two different contexts: one 'rich', one 'poor' where both options were associated with an overall positive, negative expected value, respectively. We tested patients (N = 30) undergoing a major depressive episode and age, gender and socio-economically matched controls (N = 26). Learning performance followed by a transfer phase, without feedback, were analyzed to distangle between a decision or a value-update process mechanism. Finally, we used computational model simulation and fitting to link behavioral patterns to learning biases. RESULTS Control subjects showed similar learning performance in the 'rich' and the 'poor' contexts, while patients displayed reduced learning in the 'poor' context. Analysis of the transfer phase showed that the context-dependent impairment in patients generalized, suggesting that the effect of depression has to be traced to the outcome encoding. Computational model-based results showed that patients displayed a higher learning rate for negative compared to positive outcomes (the opposite was true in controls). CONCLUSIONS Our results illustrate that reinforcement learning performances in depression depend on the value of the context. We show that depressive patients have a specific trouble in contexts with an overall negative state value, which in our task is consistent with a negativity bias at the learning rates level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Vandendriessche
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives Computationnelles, INSERM U960, Paris, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Amel Demmou
- Unité Psychiatrie Adultes, Hôpital Cochin Port Royal, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Bavard
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives Computationnelles, INSERM U960, Paris, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
- Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julien Yadak
- Unité Psychiatrie Adultes, Hôpital Cochin Port Royal, Paris, France
| | - Cédric Lemogne
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences de Paris, Paris, France
- Service de Psychiatrie de l'adulte, AP-HP, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Mauras
- Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire, GHU paris psychiatrie neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Stefano Palminteri
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives Computationnelles, INSERM U960, Paris, France
- Département d'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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Slaney C, Perkins AM, Davis R, Penton-Voak I, Munafò MR, Houghton CJ, Robinson ESJ. Objective measures of reward sensitivity and motivation in people with high v. low anhedonia. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4324-4332. [PMID: 35545891 PMCID: PMC10388304 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722001052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia - a diminished interest or pleasure in activities - is a core self-reported symptom of depression which is poorly understood and often resistant to conventional antidepressants. This symptom may occur due to dysfunction in one or more sub-components of reward processing: motivation, consummatory experience and/or learning. However, the precise impairments remain elusive. Dissociating these components (ideally, using cross-species measures) and relating them to the subjective experience of anhedonia is critical as it may benefit fundamental biology research and novel drug development. METHODS Using a battery of behavioural tasks based on rodent assays, we examined reward motivation (Joystick-Operated Runway Task, JORT; and Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task, EEfRT) and reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test) in a non-clinical population who scored high (N = 32) or low (N = 34) on an anhedonia questionnaire (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale). RESULTS Compared to the low anhedonia group, the high anhedonia group displayed marginal impairments in effort-based decision-making (EEfRT) and reduced reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test). However, we found no evidence of a difference between groups in physical effort exerted for reward (JORT). Interestingly, whilst the EEfRT and Sweet Taste Test correlated with anhedonia measures, they did not correlate with each other. This poses the question of whether there are subgroups within anhedonia; however, further work is required to directly test this hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that anhedonia is a heterogeneous symptom associated with impairments in reward sensitivity and effort-based decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Slaney
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Adam M. Perkins
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Robert Davis
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London SE14 6NW, UK
| | - Ian Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Conor J. Houghton
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Emma S. J. Robinson
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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Fietz J, Pöhlchen D, Brückl TM, Brem AK, Padberg F, Czisch M, Sämann PG, Spoormaker VI. Data-Driven Pupil Response Profiles as Transdiagnostic Readouts for the Detection of Neurocognitive Functioning in Affective and Anxiety Disorders. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023:S2451-9022(23)00149-0. [PMID: 37348604 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive functioning is a relevant transdiagnostic dimension in psychiatry. As pupil size dynamics track cognitive load during a working memory task, we aimed to explore if this parameter allows identification of psychophysiological subtypes in healthy participants and patients with affective and anxiety disorders. METHODS Our sample consisted of 226 participants who completed the n-back task during simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging and pupillometry measurements. We used latent class growth modeling to identify clusters based on pupil size in response to cognitive load. In a second step, these clusters were compared on affective and anxiety symptom levels, performance in neurocognitive tests, and functional magnetic resonance imaging activity. RESULTS The clustering analysis resulted in two distinct pupil response profiles: one with a stepwise increasing pupil size with increasing cognitive load (reactive group) and one with a constant pupil size across conditions (nonreactive group). A larger increase in pupil size was significantly associated with better performance in neurocognitive tests in executive functioning and sustained attention. Statistical maps of parametric modulation of pupil size during the n-back task showed the frontoparietal network in the positive contrast and the default mode network in the negative contrast. The pupil response profile of the reactive group was associated with more thalamic activity, likely reflecting better arousal upregulation and less deactivation of the limbic system. CONCLUSIONS Pupil measurements have the potential to serve as a highly sensitive psychophysiological readout for detection of neurocognitive deficits in the core domain of executive functioning, adding to the development of valid transdiagnostic constructs in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fietz
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Tanja M Brückl
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Padberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Victor I Spoormaker
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
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Wardle MC, Hoots JK, Miloslavich K, Nunez C, Dios CD, Holden C, Ahluwahlia A, Green CE, Lane SD, Schmitz JM. Deficits in consummatory reward relate to severity of cocaine use. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 249:109950. [PMID: 37301068 PMCID: PMC10405525 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Identifying modifiable neuropsychological factors associated with more severe CUD could improve CUD treatment. Impairments in processing of non-drug rewards may be one such factor. This study assessed the relationship between reward functioning and cocaine use severity using multi-modal measures of three distinct reward functions: consummatory reward (pleasure or "liking"); motivational reward ("wanting") and reward learning. METHODS Fifty-three adults with at least moderate CUD completed self-report and behavioral measures of consummatory reward, motivational reward and reward learning, and a composite cocaine use severity measure including quantity, frequency and life impacts of cocaine use. We conducted parallel Frequentist and Bayesian multiple regressions with measures of reward functioning as predictors of cocaine use severity. RESULTS Less self-reported ability to experience pleasure, a hypothesized measure of consummatory reward, significantly predicted greater severity after adjustment for covariates and multiple hypothesis testing, β = 0.39, t(38) = 2.86, p = 0.007. Bayesian analyses confirmed a highly likely association between severity and ability to experience pleasure, and provided moderate evidence for associations with willingness to exert effort and reward learning. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that less experience of subjective pleasure is related to greater cocaine use severity. This cross-sectional study cannot establish whether differences in consummatory reward are pre-existing, a result of CUD, or both. However, these results suggest interventions focused on increasing subjective pleasure, such as mindful "savoring", should be investigated for CUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Wardle
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL60607, United States.
| | - Jennifer K Hoots
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL60607, United States
| | - Krista Miloslavich
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL60607, United States
| | - Cecilia Nunez
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL60607, United States
| | - Constanza de Dios
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Rd, Houston, TX77054, United States
| | - Christopher Holden
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, 1740 W. Taylor St, Chicago, IL60612, United States
| | - Aneet Ahluwahlia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, 1740 W. Taylor St, Chicago, IL60612, United States
| | - Charles E Green
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Rd, Houston, TX77054, United States
| | - Scott D Lane
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Rd, Houston, TX77054, United States
| | - Joy M Schmitz
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Rd, Houston, TX77054, United States
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The relationship between psychiatric symptoms and affective forecasting bias. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2023; 79:101825. [PMID: 36813417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Affective forecasting (AF) is the prediction of future emotional states. Negatively biased affective forecasts (i.e., overestimating negative affect) have been associated with trait anxiety, social anxiety, and depression symptoms, but few studies have tested these relationships while covarying commonly co-occurring symptoms. METHODS In this study, participants (N = 114) completed a computer game in dyads. Participants were randomized into one of two conditions: a condition in which they were led to believe they were at-fault for losing their dyad money (n = 24 dyads) or a condition in which they were told no one was at fault (n = 34 dyads). Prior to the computer game, participants forecasted their affect for each potential game outcome. RESULTS More severe social anxiety, trait-level anxiety, and depressive symptoms were all associated with more negative AF bias in the at-fault relative to the no-fault condition, and this effect persisted when controlling for other symptoms. Cognitive and social anxiety sensitivity was also associated with more negative AF bias. LIMITATIONS The generalizability of our findings is innately limited by our non-clinical, undergraduate sample. Future work should replicate and extend our research in more diverse populations and clinical samples. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results support that AF biases are observed across a range of psychopathology symptoms and associated with transdiagnostic cognitive risk factors. Future work should continue investigating the etiological role of AF bias in psychopathology.
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Chat IKY, Mac Giollabhui N, Bart CP, Graham AA, Coe CL, Abramson LY, Olino TM, Alloy LB. Concurrent and prospective associations of inflammatory signaling, specific depressive symptoms, and substance use in adolescence. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 110:85-94. [PMID: 36822378 PMCID: PMC10106427 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use and depression frequently co-occur. Adolescence appears to be a vulnerable developmental period for increases in both substance use and depressive symptoms, often attributed to rapid maturation of reward and motivation systems. Another contributing factor could be inflammatory signaling, which has been associated with both substance use disorder and depression. Prior research indicates that an increase in inflammatory activity can cause physical and emotional malaise, which resembles depression, and the anhedonia and somatic symptoms could lead to substance use. This perspective that substance use is a type of self-medication in response to anhedonia and subjective experiencing of increased inflammatory physiology has not been investigated previously. To test these associations, we used path analysis to examine concurrent and prospective associations between three pro-inflammatory markers, specific depressive symptoms, and substance use frequency in a diverse sample of older adolescents. Participants completed repeated self-report measures of specific depressive symptoms (i.e., dysphoria, anhedonia, somatic concerns, negative cognitions, and functional difficulties) and substance use frequency. Blood was collected to quantify circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). This analysis showed an indirect effect of IL-6 and TNF-α levels on future substance use, but only via functional difficulties. Substance use also predicted future functional difficulties. Only anhedonia directly predicted future substance use frequency. These findings help to more precisely identify pathways through which inflammatory physiology and specific depressive symptoms synergistically confer risk for substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Ka-Yi Chat
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Naoise Mac Giollabhui
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Corinne P Bart
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amber A Graham
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Christopher L Coe
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States
| | - Lyn Y Abramson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States
| | - Thomas M Olino
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lauren B Alloy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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50
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Kolobaric A, Mizuno A, Yang X, George CJ, Seidman A, Aizenstein HJ, Kovacs M, Karim HT. History of major depressive disorder is associated with differences in implicit learning of emotional faces. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:324-332. [PMID: 36996725 PMCID: PMC10202097 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is often associated with worsened reward learning, with blunted reward response persisting after remission. In this study, we developed a probabilistic learning task with social rewards as a learning signal. We examined the impacts of depression on social rewards (facial affect displays) as an implicit learning signal. Fifty-seven participants without a history of depression and sixty-two participants with a history of depression (current or remitted) completed a structured clinical interview and an implicit learning task with social reward. Participants underwent an open-ended interview to evaluate whether they knew the rule consciously. Linear mixed effects models revealed that participants without a history of depression learned faster and showed a stronger preference towards the positive than the negative stimulus when compared to the participants with a history of depression. In contrast, those with a history depression learned slower on average and displayed greater variability in stimulus preference. We did not detect any differences in learning between those with current and remitted depression. The results indicate that on a probabilistic social reward task, people with a history of depression exhibit slower reward learning and greater variability in their learning behavior. Improving our understanding of alterations in social reward learning and their associations with depression and anhedonia may help to develop translatable psychotherapeutic approaches for modification of maladaptive emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akiko Mizuno
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | | | - Andrew Seidman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Howard J Aizenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Maria Kovacs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Helmet T Karim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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