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Pan J, Sun X, Park E, Kaufmann M, Klimova M, McGuire JT, Ling S. The effects of emotional arousal on pupil size depend on luminance. Sci Rep 2024; 14:21895. [PMID: 39300137 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70895-5] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Pupillometry is widely used to measure arousal states. The primary functional role of the pupil, however, is to respond to the luminance of visual inputs. We previously demonstrated that cognitive effort-related arousal interacted multiplicatively with luminance, with the strongest pupillary effects of arousal occurring at low-to-mid luminances (< 37 cd/m2), implying a narrow range of conditions ideal for assessing cognitive arousal-driven pupillary differences. Does this generalize to other forms of arousal? To answer this, we assessed luminance-driven pupillary response functions while manipulating emotional arousal, using well-established visual and auditory stimulus sets. At the group level, emotional arousal interacted with the pupillary light response differently from cognitive arousal: the effects occurred primarily at much lower luminances (< 20 cd/m2). Analyses at the individual-participant level revealed qualitatively distinct patterns of modulation, with a sizable number of individuals displaying no arousal response to the visual or auditory stimuli, regardless of luminance. Together, our results suggest that effects of arousal on pupil size are not monolithic: different forms of arousal exert different patterns of effects. More practically, our findings suggest that lower luminances create better conditions for measuring pupil-linked arousal, and when selecting ambient luminance levels, consideration of the arousal manipulation and individual differences is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Pan
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Xuelin Sun
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edison Park
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marine Kaufmann
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michaela Klimova
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph T McGuire
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sam Ling
- Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Cahart MS, Giampietro V, Naysmith L, Muraz M, Zelaya F, Williams SCR, O'Daly O. Anhedonia severity mediates the relationship between attentional networks recruitment and emotional blunting during music listening. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20040. [PMID: 39198531 PMCID: PMC11358146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70293-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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Emotion studies have commonly reported impaired emotional processing in individuals with heightened anhedonic depressive symptoms, as typically measured by collecting single subjective ratings for a given emotional cue. However, the interindividual variation in moment-to-moment emotional reactivity, and associated time-varying brain networks recruitment as emotions are unfolding, remains unclear. In this study, we filled this gap by using the unique temporal characteristics of music to investigate behavioural and brain network dynamics as a function of anhedonic depressive symptoms severity. Thirty-one neurotypical participants aged 18-30 years completed anhedonic depression questionnaires and then continuously rated happy, neutral and sad pieces of music whilst undergoing MRI scanning. Using a unique combination of dynamic approaches to behavioural (i.e., emotion dynamics) and fMRI (i.e., leading eigenvector dynamics analysis; LEiDA) data analysis, we found that participants higher in anhedonic depressive symptoms exhibited increased recruitment of attentional networks and blunted emotional response to both happy and sad musical excerpts. Anhedonic depression mediated the relationship between attentional networks recruitment and emotional blunting, and the elevated recruitment of attentional networks during emotional pieces of music carried over into subsequent neutral music. Future studies are needed to investigate whether these findings could be generalised to a clinical population (i.e., major depressive disorder).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Stephanie Cahart
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK.
| | - Vincent Giampietro
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Laura Naysmith
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Mathilde Muraz
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Fernando Zelaya
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Steven C R Williams
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Owen O'Daly
- Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AB, UK
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Ging-Jehli NR, Kuhn M, Blank JM, Chanthrakumar P, Steinberger DC, Yu Z, Herrington TM, Dillon DG, Pizzagalli DA, Frank MJ. Cognitive Signatures of Depressive and Anhedonic Symptoms and Affective States Using Computational Modeling and Neurocognitive Testing. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:726-736. [PMID: 38401881 PMCID: PMC11227402 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.005] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deeper phenotyping may improve our understanding of depression. Because depression is heterogeneous, extracting cognitive signatures associated with severity of depressive symptoms, anhedonia, and affective states is a promising approach. METHODS Sequential sampling models decomposed behavior from an adaptive approach-avoidance conflict task into computational parameters quantifying latent cognitive signatures. Fifty unselected participants completed clinical scales and the approach-avoidance conflict task by either approaching or avoiding trials offering monetary rewards and electric shocks. RESULTS Decision dynamics were best captured by a sequential sampling model with linear collapsing boundaries varying by net offer values, and with drift rates varying by trial-specific reward and aversion, reflecting net evidence accumulation toward approach or avoidance. Unlike conventional behavioral measures, these computational parameters revealed distinct associations with self-reported symptoms. Specifically, passive avoidance tendencies, indexed by starting point biases, were associated with greater severity of depressive symptoms (R = 0.34, p = .019) and anhedonia (R = 0.49, p = .001). Depressive symptoms were also associated with slower encoding and response execution, indexed by nondecision time (R = 0.37, p = .011). Higher reward sensitivity for offers with negative net values, indexed by drift rates, was linked to more sadness (R = 0.29, p = .042) and lower positive affect (R = -0.33, p = .022). Conversely, higher aversion sensitivity was associated with more tension (R = 0.33, p = .025). Finally, less cautious response patterns, indexed by boundary separation, were linked to more negative affect (R = -0.40, p = .005). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the utility of multidimensional computational phenotyping, which could be applied to clinical samples to improve characterization and treatment selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja R Ging-Jehli
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
| | - Manuel Kuhn
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jacob M Blank
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Pranavan Chanthrakumar
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - David C Steinberger
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Zeyang Yu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Todd M Herrington
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel G Dillon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael J Frank
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Brandeis BO, Siegle GJ, Franzen P, Soehner A, Hasler B, McMakin D, Young K, Buysse DJ. Subjective and neural reactivity during savoring and rumination. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:1568-1580. [PMID: 37726588 PMCID: PMC10684651 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01123-2] [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: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive thinking about negative emotions or events is strongly associated with worse mental health, whereas repetitive positive thought is generally believed to be beneficial. This observation is at odds with the idea that all forms of repetitive thinking share underlying neural mechanisms. To resolve this apparent discrepancy, the present study examined relationships between subjective affect and neural mechanisms during periods of sustained processing of positive (savoring) and negative (rumination) emotion. We also examined potential common moderators of savoring and rumination including memory specificity and sleep quality. Results indicated that individuals who experience high positive affect during savoring also are likely to experience more intense negative affect during rumination. fMRI-derived brain activity revealed common mechanisms of rumination and savoring. Memory specificity had common effects on neural correlates of rumination and savoring; sleep quality was not associated with mechanisms of savoring or rumination. These results suggest that repetitive engagement with positive and negative affect is similar both subjectively and mechanistically. Clinical interventions for rumination may benefit from capitalizing on preserved capacity for savoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Greg J Siegle
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| | - Peter Franzen
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Adriane Soehner
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Brant Hasler
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Dana McMakin
- Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Kym Young
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Daniel J Buysse
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, WPH, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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Zegel M, McGrew SJ, Wardle MC, Vujanovic AA. The main and interactive effects of distress tolerance and reward function on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among firefighters. PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA : THEORY, RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND POLICY 2023; 15:S319-S326. [PMID: 35482680 PMCID: PMC10191145 DOI: 10.1037/tra0001240] [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: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Firefighters are at heightened risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), underscoring the importance of understanding clinically targetable factors to inform evidence-based intervention development. Hedonic capacity, or the ability to experience pleasure, is a facet of reward functioning. Anhedonia (i.e., low or absent hedonic capacity) is a hallmark symptom of PTSD. Distress tolerance (DT), or the perceived ability to withstand negative emotional states, has also demonstrated associations with PTSD. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study was to examine the main and interactive effects of self-reported hedonic capacity (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale) and DT (Distress Tolerance Scale) on PTSD symptom severity among firefighters. METHOD A hierarchical linear regression was performed among a sample of 802 trauma-exposed career firefighters, who completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. Covariates included trauma load (i.e., number of trauma types), years in the fire service, and depression symptoms (excluding anhedonia). RESULTS Both hedonic capacity (B = 2.71, SE = .95, p = .005) and DT (B = -.21, SE = .03, p < .001) were incrementally associated with PTSD symptom severity. The interactive effect of hedonic capacity and DT was associated with heightened PTSD symptom severity (B = .25, SE = .07, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Hedonic capacity and DT were independently and transactionally associated with heightened PTSD symptom severity among trauma-exposed firefighters. These findings provide evidence for the utility in developing interventions that target DT and impaired hedonic capacity among firefighters, particularly those experiencing PTSD symptomatology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Zegel
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston
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Webb CA, Murray L, Tierney AO, Forbes EE, Pizzagalli DA. Reward-related predictors of symptom change in behavioral activation therapy for anhedonic adolescents: a multimodal approach. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:623-632. [PMID: 36307561 PMCID: PMC9938220 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01481-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Anhedonia is a cardinal characteristic of depression which predicts worse treatment outcome and is among the most common residual symptoms following treatment. Behavioral Activation (BA) has been shown to be an effective treatment for depressed adults, and more recently, depressed adolescents. Given its emphasis on systematically and gradually increasing exposure to and engagement with rewarding activities and experiences, BA may be a particularly effective intervention for adolescents experiencing anhedonia and associated reward system dysfunction. In the present study, anhedonic adolescents (AA; n = 39) received 12 weekly sessions of BA and completed a multimodal (i.e., neural, behavioral, and self-report [ecological momentary assessment]) assessment of reward function at pre-treatment and post-treatment (as well as weekly self-report assessments of anhedonia). Typically developing adolescents (TDA; n = 41) completed the same measures at corresponding timepoints. Multilevel models tested pre-treatment reward-related predictors of anhedonia improvement, as well as change in reward measures over the course of BA. Analyses revealed significant reductions in anhedonia following BA treatment. Enhanced pre-treatment neural (striatal) reward responsiveness predicted greater anhedonia improvement. In contrast, baseline self-report and behavioral reward measures did not predict treatment outcome. A group x time interaction revealed greater increases in both reward- and loss-related neural responsiveness among AA relative to TDA adolescents. Consistent with a capitalization (rather than compensatory) model, pre-treatment neural - but not self-report or behavioral - measures of relatively enhanced reward responsiveness predicted better BA outcome. In addition to alleviating anhedonia, successful BA may also increase neural sensitivity to affectively salient (e.g., reward- and loss-related) stimuli among anhedonic youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian A Webb
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
| | - Laura Murray
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | - Erika E Forbes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
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Berg M, Riehle M, Rief W, Lincoln T. Does partial blockade of dopamine D2 receptors with Amisulpride cause anhedonia? An experimental study in healthy volunteers. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 158:409-416. [PMID: 36680855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.01.014] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia is a frequent cause of functional impairment in psychosis. Although it is plausible that medication-induced D2 receptor blockade could diminish hedonic responding, there is little experimental research testing this hypothesis in humans. METHODS To inspect possible effects of partial D2 blockade on hedonic experiences, we administered 300 mg of Amisulpride or placebo to 85 participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were then subjected to an emotional evocation task utilizing standardized pictorial pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant stimuli. RESULTS We observed lower positivity ratings in the Amisulpride group compared to placebo across all stimulus categories (p = .026, f = 0.25) and no group differences in negativity or arousal ratings. The Amisulpride group also showed lower electrodermal responses across all stimulus categories compared to placebo (p = .017, f = 0.27). The electrodermal response was especially diminished for pleasant stimuli. CONCLUSION We interpret our findings as evidence that D2 blockade via Amisulpride can reduce at-the-moment hedonic responsivity in healthy volunteers. If these results can be confirmed in drug-naïve clinical samples, this would indicate that antipsychotic medication contributes to clinical anhedonia, probably via antagonistic effects at the dopamine D2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Berg
- Philipps-University of Marburg, Dept. of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Gutenbergstraße 18, D-35032, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Marcel Riehle
- Universität Hamburg, Dept. of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Von-Melle-Park 5, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Rief
- Philipps-University of Marburg, Dept. of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Gutenbergstraße 18, D-35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tania Lincoln
- Universität Hamburg, Dept. of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Von-Melle-Park 5, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
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James TA, Duarte A. Depressive symptoms are associated with reduced positivity preferences in episodic memory in aging. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 121:38-51. [PMID: 36371815 PMCID: PMC11212072 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.10.006] [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: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Age-related positivity preferences are represented as greater memory benefits for positive and/or reduced benefits for negative material with age. It is unknown if positivity preferences are limited to older adults without depressive symptoms. In this fMRI study, adults across the lifespan with a range of depressive symptoms were scanned as they rated emotional intensity of images and subsequently completed a recognition memory task. Behavioral, univariate, and functional connectivity analyses provided evidence for interactive effects between age and depressive symptoms. With low depressive symptoms, typical age-related emotional preferences emerged: younger age was associated with better memory for negative images, and this benefit was reduced with older age. With increasing depressive symptoms in older age, positivity preferences were reduced, manifesting as improvements in negative memory. The neural data highlighted potential underlying mechanisms, including reductions in prefrontal cortex connectivity reflecting diminished ability to engage regulatory processes to reduce negative affect in older participants with higher depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that depressive symptoms in older adulthood reduce positivity preferences through alterations in neural networks underlying emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor A James
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Audrey Duarte
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Sun CW, Yan C, Lv QY, Wang YJ, Xiao WY, Wang Y, Yi ZH, Wang JK. Emotion Context Insensitivity is generalized in individuals with major depressive disorder but not in those with subclinical depression. J Affect Disord 2022; 313:204-213. [PMID: 35777495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.06.069] [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: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressed individuals experience deficits in emotional reactivity. One well-established theory is the Emotion Context Insensitivity (ECI) theory. To better understand impairments in emotional reactivity, we investigated whether the ECI theory is applicable to anticipatory, consummatory, and remembered affect, in both clinical and subclinical depression. METHODS Participants were divided into four groups: Major Depressive Disorder Group (MDD, N = 60), Control Group for MDD (ControlMDD, N = 50), Subclinical Depression Group (SD, N = 56), and Control Group for SD (ControlSD, N = 56). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to assess the severity of depression and anhedonia symptoms. The Monetary Incentive Delay Task evaluated participants' affective responses towards monetary stimuli. RESULTS The MDD group was more insensitive to both monetary reward and loss across most types of affect than was the control group. Compared with the controls, the SD group exhibited lower reactivity in anticipatory positive affect but enhanced reactivity in consummatory positive, anticipatory, and remembered negative affect. LIMITATIONS Emotional affect was evaluated by subjective ratings, which may lack objectivity. Additionally, laboratory settings and monetary rewards used in this study may cause the results less generalized to daily life and to other types of rewards. CONCLUSION The pattern of emotional reactivity in the MDD group was partly consistent with the ECI theory, whereas the SD group showed greater arousal and instability of emotional reactions. These different patterns could facilitate the understanding of emotional reactivity and develop further treatments across the course of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Wen Sun
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE&STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Yan
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE&STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qin-Yu Lv
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE&STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Yi Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE&STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng-Hui Yi
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ji-Kun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE&STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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Sheoran H, Srivastava P. Self-Reported Depression Is Associated With Aberration in Emotional Reactivity and Emotional Concept Coding. Front Psychol 2022; 13:814234. [PMID: 35814123 PMCID: PMC9267768 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.814234] [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: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment, alterations in mood, emotion dysregulation are just a few of the consequences of depression. Despite depression being reported as the most common mental disorder worldwide, examining depression or risks of depression is still challenging. Emotional reactivity has been observed to predict the risk of depression, but the results have been mixed for negative emotional reactivity (NER). To better understand the emotional response conflict, we asked our participants to describe their feeling in meaningful sentences alongside reporting their reactions to the emotionally evocative words. We presented a word on the screen and asked participants to perform two tasks, rate their feeling after reading the word using the self-assessment manikin (SAM) scale, and describe their feeling using the property generation task. The emotional content was analyzed using a novel machine-learning algorithm approach. We performed these two tasks in blocks and randomized their order across participants. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to categorize participants into self-reported non-depressed (ND) and depressed (D) groups. Compared to the ND, the D group reported reduced positive emotional reactivity when presented with extremely pleasant words regardless of their arousal levels. However, no significant difference was observed between the D and ND groups for negative emotional reactivity. In contrast, we observed increased sadness and inclination toward low negative context from descriptive content by the D compared to the ND group. The positive content analyses showed mixed results. The contrasting results between the emotional reactivity and emotional content analyses demand further examination between cohorts of self-reported depressive symptoms, no-symptoms, and MDD patients to better examine the risks of depression and help design early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Priyanka Srivastava
- Perception and Cognition Research Group, Cognitive Science Lab, Kohli Center on Intelligent Systems, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, India
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Riehle M, Pillny M, Lincoln TM. Expanding the positivity offset theory of anhedonia to the psychosis continuum. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:47. [PMID: 35853895 PMCID: PMC9261090 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-022-00251-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
People with schizophrenia and negative symptoms show diminished net positive emotion in low-arousing contexts (diminished positivity offset) and co-activate positive and negative emotion more frequently (increased ambivalence). Here, we investigated whether diminished positivity offset and increased ambivalence covary with negative symptoms along the continuum of psychotic symptoms. We conducted an online-study in an ad-hoc community sample (N = 261). Participants self-reported on psychotic symptoms (negative symptoms, depression, positive symptoms, anhedonia) and rated positivity, negativity, and arousal elicited by pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral stimuli. The data were analyzed with multilevel linear models. Increasing levels of all assessed symptom areas showed significant associations with diminished positivity offset. Increased ambivalence was related only to positive symptoms. Our results show that the diminished positivity offset is associated with psychotic symptoms in a community sample, including, but not limited to, negative symptoms. Ecological validity and symptom specificity require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Riehle
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Matthias Pillny
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tania M Lincoln
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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12
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Bylsma LM. Emotion context insensitivity in depression: Toward an integrated and contextualized approach. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13715. [PMID: 33274773 PMCID: PMC8097691 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by pervasive mood disturbance as well as deficits in emotional processing, reactivity, and regulation. There is accumulating evidence that MDD is characterized by emotional patterns consistent with environmental disengagement, as reflected in attenuated positive and negative emotional reactivity, consistent with Emotion Context Insensitivity (ECI) theory. However, MDD individuals vary considerably in the extent to which they exhibit specific alterations in patterns of emotional responding. Emotions are complex, multicomponent processes that invoke responses across multiple functional domains and levels of analysis, including subjective experience, behavior, autonomic regulation, cognition, and neural processing. In this article, I review the current state of the literature on emotional responding and MDD from the lens of ECI. I focus on the importance of assessing emotional indices from multiple levels of analysis across development and contexts. I also discuss methodological and measurement issues that may contribute to inconsistent findings. In particular, I emphasize how psychophysiological measures can help elucidate emotional processes that underlie the pathophysiology of MDD as part of an integrated and contextualized approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Bylsma
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Li X, Zhang YT, Huang ZJ, Chen XL, Yuan FH, Sun XJ. Diminished Anticipatory and Consummatory Pleasure in Dysphoria: Evidence From an Experience Sampling Study. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2124. [PMID: 31607980 PMCID: PMC6761272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Anhedonia, the experience of diminished pleasure, is a core feature of major depressive disorder and is often present long before the diagnosis of depression. Most previous studies have investigated anhedonia with self-report measures of trait anhedonia or with behavioral paradigms using laboratory stimuli, and the real-time characteristics of hedonic processing in subclinical depression remain under-investigated. We used the experience sampling method to evaluate momentary experience of hedonic feelings in the context of daily life. Dysphoric (n = 49) and non-dysphoric (n = 51) college students completed assessments of their current positive affect (PA), as well as state anticipatory and consummatory pleasure, 3 or 4 times a day every day for 2 weeks. The results showed that dysphoric individuals reported less state anticipatory and consummatory pleasure compared with non-dysphoric individuals. Moreover, significant time-lagged associations between anticipatory pleasure and follow-up consummatory pleasure were found in the whole sample, after adjustment for current PA. The current findings thus hold considerable promise in advancing our understanding of anhedonia as well as the important role of state anticipatory pleasure in relation to depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Li
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Ting Zhang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-Jing Huang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xue-Lei Chen
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng-Hui Yuan
- School of Sociology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Sun
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
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