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Schettino M, Tarmati V, Castellano P, Gigli V, Carnevali L, Cabib S, Ottaviani C, Orsini C. Effects of acute stress on reward processing: A comprehensive meta-analysis of rodent and human studies. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100647. [PMID: 38962695 PMCID: PMC11219954 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100647] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Stressors can initiate a cascade of central and peripheral changes that modulate mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic circuits and, ultimately, behavioral response to rewards. Driven by the absence of conclusive evidence on this topic and the Research Domain Criteria framework, random-effects meta-analyses were adopted to quantify the effects of acute stressors on reward responsiveness, valuation, and learning in rodent and human subjects. In rodents, acute stress reduced reward responsiveness (g = -1.43) and valuation (g = -0.32), while amplifying reward learning (g = 1.17). In humans, acute stress had marginal effects on valuation (g = 0.25), without affecting responsiveness and learning. Moderation analyses suggest that acute stress neither has unitary effects on reward processing in rodents nor in humans and that the duration of the stressor and specificity of reward experience (i.e., food vs drugs) may produce qualitatively and quantitatively different behavioral endpoints. Subgroup analyses failed to reduce heterogeneity, which, together with the presence of publication bias, pose caution on the conclusions that can be drawn and point to the need of guidelines for the conduction of future studies in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martino Schettino
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Tarmati
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Castellano
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Gigli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Carnevali
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Simona Cabib
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Ottaviani
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Orsini
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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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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Kumar SJ, Shukla S, Kumar S, Mishra P. Immunosenescence and Inflamm-Aging: Clinical Interventions and the Potential for Reversal of Aging. Cureus 2024; 16:e53297. [PMID: 38435871 PMCID: PMC10906346 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.53297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is often associated with the impairment of the ability to sustain the consequences of the physical, chemical, nutritional, and antigenic triggers of inflammation. The process of immunosenescence may only partially be explained by the senescence of cells, tissues, or the organism, and, hence, the hallmarks of immunosenescence may be markedly and differentially affected by the history of an individual's pathogenic encounter. Inflammation is a key component of immunosenescence, which itself is a direct consequence of aging. This review article highlights the therapeutic interventions for slowing the processes of inflamm-aging and immunosenescence and the possible reversal of aging and includes domains of immunomodulatory interventions, vaccination strategies, nutritional interventions, stem cell therapies, personalized medicine, microbiome interventions, and the positive effects of physical activity and exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samayak J Kumar
- Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Samarth Shukla
- Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Preeti Mishra
- Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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Boyle CC, Bower JE, Eisenberger NI, Irwin MR. Stress to inflammation and anhedonia: Mechanistic insights from preclinical and clinical models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105307. [PMID: 37419230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105307] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Anhedonia, as evidenced by impaired pleasurable response to reward, reduced reward motivation, and/or deficits in reward-related learning, is a common feature of depression. Such deficits in reward processing are also an important clinical target as a risk factor for depression onset. Unfortunately, reward-related deficits remain difficult to treat. To address this gap and inform the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms that drive impairments in reward function. Stress-induced inflammation is a plausible mechanism of reward deficits. The purpose of this paper is to review evidence for two components of this psychobiological pathway: 1) the effects of stress on reward function; and 2) the effects of inflammation on reward function. Within these two areas, we draw upon preclinical and clinical models, distinguish between acute and chronic effects of stress and inflammation, and address specific domains of reward dysregulation. By addressing these contextual factors, the review reveals a nuanced literature which might be targeted for additional scientific inquiry to inform the development of precise interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C Boyle
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA.
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael R Irwin
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA
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Lambregts BIHM, Vassena E, Jansen A, Stremmelaar DE, Pickkers P, Kox M, Aarts E, van der Schaaf ME. Fatigue during acute systemic inflammation is associated with reduced mental effort expenditure while task accuracy is preserved. Brain Behav Immun 2023:S0889-1591(23)00131-9. [PMID: 37257522 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Earlier work within the physical domain showed that acute inflammation changes motivational prioritization and effort allocation rather than physical abilities. It is currently unclear whether a similar motivational framework accounts for the mental fatigue and cognitive symptoms of acute sickness. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess the relationship between fatigue, cytokines and mental effort-based decision making during acute systemic inflammation. METHODS Eighty-five participants (41 males; 18-30 years (M=23.0, SD=2.4)) performed a mental effort-based decision-making task before, 2 hours after, and 5 hours after intravenous administration of 1 ng/kg bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce systemic inflammation. Plasma concentrations of cytokines (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)) and fatigue levels were assessed at similar timepoints. In the task, participants decided whether they wanted to perform (i.e., 'accepted') arithmetic calculations of varying difficulty (3 levels: easy, medium, hard) in order to obtain rewards (3 levels: 5, 6 or 7 points). Acceptance rates were analyzed using a binomial generalized estimated equation (GEE) approach with effort, reward and time as independent variables. Arithmetic performance was measured per effort level prior to the decisions and included as a covariate. Associations between acceptance rates, fatigue (self-reported) and cytokine concentrations levels were analyzed using partial correlation analyses. RESULTS Plasma cytokine concentrations and fatigue were increased at 2 hours post-LPS compared to baseline and 5 hours post-LPS administration. Acceptance rates decreased for medium, but not for easy or hard effort levels at 2 hours post-LPS versus baseline and 5 hours post-LPS administration, irrespective of reward level. This reduction in acceptance rates occurred despite improved accuracy on the arithmetic calculations itself. Reduced acceptance rates for medium effort were associated with increased fatigue, but not with increased cytokines. CONCLUSION Fatigue during acute systemic inflammation is associated with alterations in mental effort allocation, similarly as observed previously for physical effort-based choice. Specifically, willingness to exert mental effort depended on effort and not reward information, while task accuracy was preserved. These results extend the motivational account of inflammation to the mental domain and suggest that inflammation may not necessarily affect domain-specific mental abilities, but rather affects domain-general effort-allocation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- B I H M Lambregts
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Postbus 9104, HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - E Vassena
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Postbus 9104, HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment, Behavioural Science Institute Radboud University Nijmegen Postbus 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - A Jansen
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - D E Stremmelaar
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Postbus 9104, HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - P Pickkers
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - M Kox
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - E Aarts
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Postbus 9104, HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - M E van der Schaaf
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Postbus 9104, HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Tilburg University Postbus 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands.
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Effects of an experimentally induced inflammatory stimulus on motivational behavior in remitted depressed patients. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:106-111. [PMID: 36917867 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.019] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute inflammation is associated with sickness behavior characterized by reduced motivation for pleasurable activities in humans. The current study investigated the effect of an experimentally induced inflammatory stimulus on motivational reward in people who remitted from depression. METHODS This randomized, double-blind crossover study involved 12 participants, 5 with remitted major depressive disorder (rMDD) and 7 healthy controls (HC), who received an injection of typhoid vaccine and placebo (or vice-versa) intramuscularly at least one week apart. At baseline and between 4 and 6 h post-injection on both days, participant mood was measured using the profile of mood states (POMS), and injection blood samples were collected for cytokines measurement. All participants completed the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT), a behavioral paradigm measuring effort-based decision-making before and 4 h post-both injections. Generalized linear mixed modeling was used to evaluate group differences in choosing the hard over easy task to obtain a monetary reward. RESULTS Typhoid vaccine increased IL-6 in all participants. On the EEfRT, a significant interaction between treatment condition (typhoid vs. placebo) and participant group (HC vs. rMDD) was found (p = .004). Analyses of simple effects within treatment conditions found that after placebo, HCs were more likely to choose the harder task than rMDD (OR = 3.21; p = .013). However, after the typhoid vaccine, no differences were found between rMDD and HC (p = .397). Analyses within participant groups found that the probability of choosing a hard task was higher after placebo for HC (OR = 1.37; p = .045), but not different within rMDD (p = .241). For HC at baseline, mood was significantly lower following injection with typhoid vaccine, relative to placebo (b = -1.03, p < .001); however, this effect should be considered coincidental, given that mood rating was taken prior to injection. For rMDD patients 4-6 h post-injection, mood was significantly lower following typhoid vaccine, relative to placebo (b = -0.981, p < .001 b = -0.77, p < .001). Finally, for HC receiving placebo, mood was significantly lower 4-6 h post-injection, relative to baseline (b = -1.76, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary findings suggest persistent deficits in motivational reward processing function despite clinical improvement in remitted depressed patients.
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Kuhlman KR, Cole SW, Irwin MR, Craske MG, Fuligni AJ, Bower JE. The role of early life adversity and inflammation in stress-induced change in reward and risk processes among adolescents. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:78-88. [PMID: 36621653 PMCID: PMC10112053 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.004] [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: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity (ELA) has long been associated with increased risk for stress-related psychopathology, particularly depression. The neuroimmune network hypothesis posits that ELA increases sensitivity to psychosocial stress, moderating the association between increases in peripheral markers of inflammation and decreases in reward outcomes linked to anhedonia and risk-taking behaviors. The present study examined this hypothesis in a sample of adolescents by using acute psychosocial stress to probe the role of inflammatory signaling in behavioral measures of reward and risk processing. METHOD 80 adolescents [13.86 years (SD = 1.54); 45 % female], oversampled for ELA, underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Children while providing blood samples immediately before and 60-minutes after stress onset. Blood samples were assayed for plasma IL-6. One hour before stress onset, and then 60 min after, participants completed computer-administered behavioral tasks measuring reward (Pirate Task) and risk (Balloon Analog Risk Task). RESULTS ELA moderated the association between increases in IL-6 and decreases in risk tolerance in pursuit of rewards (p = 0.003) and reward response bias (p = 0.04). Stress-induced increases in IL-6 were associated with decreases in pumps for rewards among adolescents exposed to high, relative to little or no, ELA. Further, greater IL-6 increases were associated with increases in bias toward high relative to low value rewards among adolescents with low adversity exposure but not among those exposed to higher adversity. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides the first evidence in a pediatric sample that ELA may alter the role of stress-induced inflammation in reward and risk processing, and may extend our understanding of why stress leads to depression in this high-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Steve W Cole
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J Fuligni
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Blaes AH, Nair C, Everson-Rose S, Jewett P, Wolf J, Zordoky B. Psychological measures of stress and biomarkers of inflammation, aging, and endothelial dysfunction in breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1677. [PMID: 36717689 PMCID: PMC9886974 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28895-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular events and lower endothelial function in breast cancer survivors. Psychosocial stress is associated with higher levels of inflammatory and aging markers, and lower endothelial function in otherwise healthy subjects. These associations among breast cancer survivors on AIs are not well defined. A cross-sectional study of 30 breast cancer survivors on AIs was performed to assess the associations between self-reported scores of psychosocial measures of depression, anxiety, and stress assessed by validated questionnaires with markers of inflammation (CRP; IL-6; IL-18), aging (p16INK4a), and endothelial function (ICAM-1, EndoPAT ratio). Significant positive correlations were observed between psychosocial measures and inflammatory markers including CRP, IL-6, and ICAM-1. However, no psychosocial scores were related to endothelial function or gene expression of the aging biomarker p16INK4a. Overall, survivors had endothelial dysfunction with reduced EndoPAT ratios. Psychosocial stress is associated with greater inflammation in breast cancer survivors on AIs, corroborating previous studies in cancer-free populations. The lack of association between psychosocial stress and either endothelial function or aging biomarkers could be due to the already low endothelial function and accelerated aging in our cohort of breast cancer survivors on AIs, though our small sample size limits conclusions. Further work in a larger and more diverse cohort of patients is needed to further understand the relationships among inflammation, aging and endothelial function in breast cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne H Blaes
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. .,Hematology/Oncology/Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
| | - Chandini Nair
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | | | - Patricia Jewett
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Jack Wolf
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Beshay Zordoky
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
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Boyle CC, Cole SW, Irwin MR, Eisenberger NI, Bower JE. The role of inflammation in acute psychosocial stress-induced modulation of reward processing in healthy female adults. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 28:100588. [PMID: 36683947 PMCID: PMC9853307 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100588] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Anhedonia, or loss of interest and pleasure, is a pernicious symptom of depression that involves deficits in reward processing. Stress-induced inflammation is a plausible biopsychosocial mechanism of reward deficits, but little is known whether stress-induced inflammation alters reward behavior. The present study (a secondary analysis of a completed randomized controlled trial) tested whether acute stress activated a key pro-inflammatory transcription control pathway, NF-κB, and whether this activation was associated with acute stress-induced modulation of reward processing. Methods Healthy female adults (age 18-25) were randomized to undergo an acute psychosocial stressor (Trier Social Stress Test; n = 36) or a no-stress active control (n = 16). The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) (n = 30 stress; n = 12 control) was administered at baseline and at 90 min post-stress, coinciding with the peak of the stress-induced inflammatory response. Genome-wide expression profiling and bioinformatics analyses of NF-kB transcription factor activity were used to assess pro-inflammatory gene regulation. Results Relative to the control condition, stress increased bioinformatic measures of NF-κB transcription factor activity (p = .01) and increased reward response bias scores on the PRT (p = .03). Within the stress condition, greater NF-κB activity was associated with greater increases in PRT scores (p = .01), whereas in the control condition greater NF-κB activity was associated with decreases in PRT scores (p = .002). Conclusions Acute stress increases inflammatory signaling, and this effect is associated with increased reward processing. This demonstrates the reward system to be highly sensitive to inflammatory signaling, including the relatively mild alterations that occur following a single episode of acute psychosocial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C. Boyle
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA, USA,Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, USA,Corresponding author. 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Room 3200D, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Steve W. Cole
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA, USA,Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, USA,Division of Hemotology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, USA
| | - Michael R. Irwin
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA, USA,Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Julienne E. Bower
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA, USA,Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, USA,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Sartin-Tarm A, Lorenz T. Sexual Trauma Moderates Hormonal Mediators of Women’s Sexual Function. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-022-00337-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Kuhlman KR, Irwin MR, Ganz PA, Cole SW, Manigault AW, Crespi CM, Bower JE. Younger women are more susceptible to inflammation: A longitudinal examination of the role of aging in inflammation and depressive symptoms. J Affect Disord 2022; 310:328-336. [PMID: 35561889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.019] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The degree to which effects of inflammation on mood and behavior vary across the lifespan remains relatively unexplored despite well-established, age-related alterations in both the immune and central nervous systems. Further, the implications of this developmental process within different symptom domains warrants careful consideration. METHODS Women diagnosed with breast cancer (n = 188; ages 27-89) provided blood samples and reported depressive symptoms prior to adjuvant treatment, at the end of adjuvant treatment, and 6-, 12-, and 18-months after completing adjuvant treatment via the CES-D. Blood was assayed for C-reactive Protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6. We used mixed linear effect models to estimate within- and between-person effects of CRP or IL-6 on 4 domains of depressive symptoms: depressed affect, low positive affect, somatic complaints, and interpersonal problems. RESULTS High average inflammation was associated with elevated somatic complaints (CRP p = .009, IL-6: p = .05), interpersonal problems (CRP p = .002, IL-6 p < .001), and positive affect (IL-6 p = .03), but only among the youngest women in the sample (age 50 or younger). Younger women also reported more depressed affect at assessments when inflammation was higher (CRP p = .045, IL-6 p = .09). CONCLUSIONS The association between inflammation and specific depressive symptoms is dynamic and varies across the lifespan, which may help clarify apparent inconsistencies in the extant literature as well as inform more precise interventions targeting this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Development, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience, School of Social Ecology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Development, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Patricia A Ganz
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steve W Cole
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Development, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew W Manigault
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Catherine M Crespi
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Development, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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12
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Muscatell KA, Merritt CC, Cohen JR, Chang L, Lindquist KA. The Stressed Brain: Neural Underpinnings of Social Stress Processing in Humans. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 54:373-392. [PMID: 34796448 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As humans, we face a variety of social stressors on a regular basis. Given the established role of social stress in influencing physical and psychological functioning, researchers have focused immense efforts on understanding the psychological and physiological changes induced by exposure to acute social stressors. With the advancement of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), more recent work has sought to identify the neural correlates of processing acute social stress. In this review, we provide an overview of research on the neural underpinnings of social stress processing to date. Specifically, we summarize research that has examined the neural underpinnings of three types of social stressors commonly studied in the literature: social rejection, social evaluation, and racism-related stress. Within our discussion of each type of social stressor, we describe the methods used to induce stress, the brain regions commonly activated among studies investigating that type of stress, and recommendations for future work. This review of the current literature identifies activity in midline regions in both prefrontal and parietal cortices, as well as lateral prefrontal regions, as being associated with processing social rejection. Activity in the insula, thalamus, and inferior frontal gyrus is often found in studies using social evaluation tasks. Finally, racism-related stress is associated with activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex. We conclude by taking a "30,000-foot view" of this area of research to provide suggestions for the future of research on the neuroscience of social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jessica R Cohen
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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13
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Rosenkranz MA, Esnault S, Gresham L, Davidson RJ, Christian BT, Jarjour NN, Busse WW. Role of amygdala in stress-induced upregulation of airway IL-1 signaling in asthma. Biol Psychol 2022; 167:108226. [PMID: 34800561 PMCID: PMC9426565 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Psychological stress, an important contributor to asthma morbidity, potentiates the immune response to allergen, but the brain mechanisms mediating this response are not fully understood. The amygdala is likely to play an important role, given its sensitivity to threat and connectivity with descending immune modulatory pathways. In this study, we recruited thirty asthmatic participants and examined glucose metabolism in the amygdala, using [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, during a laboratory stressor. Stress hormone and airway inflammatory measurements were also acquired. Results showed that activity in the amygdala was significantly increased during the stressor, compared to a matched control task (p < .05 corrected). Moreover, the increase in amygdala activity was associated with a greater increase in sputum IL-1R1 mRNA and alpha amylase response (p < .05 corrected), which were also positively correlated (p = .01). These findings suggest that heightened amygdala reactivity may contribute to asthma morbidity via descending proinflammatory sympathetic signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Rosenkranz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd, Madison, WI 53719, USA; Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703, USA.
| | - Stephane Esnault
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Lauren Gresham
- Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703, USA
| | - Richard J Davidson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd, Madison, WI 53719, USA; Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 W. Johnson St., Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd, Madison, WI 53719, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA; Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Nizar N Jarjour
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - William W Busse
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health-Madison, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792, USA
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14
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Muscatell KA, Inagaki TK. Beyond social withdrawal: New perspectives on the effects of inflammation on social behavior. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 16:100302. [PMID: 34589794 PMCID: PMC8474589 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Decades of research in animals and humans show that inflammation is an important regulator of social behavior. While much research in this area has concluded that inflammation causes a withdrawal from social interaction, closer examination of the literature reveals that the effects of inflammation on social behavior are much more nuanced. Indeed, while many studies do show that increases in inflammation lead to social withdrawal, other studies show the exact opposite, finding that inflammation leads to an increase in social approach behavior. Critically, whether an organism withdraws or approaches when inflamed may depend on the whether the target of the behavior is a close other or a stranger. In the present paper, we review both animal research and our initial research in humans that has utilized experimental manipulations of inflammation and examined their effects on social approach behavior. We argue, based on complementary theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence from the literature, that there are three critical next steps for translational work examining the effects of inflammation on social behavior: (1) We need to study actual social behavior, as expressed toward both close others and strangers; (2) We should examine not just the social behavior of the inflamed individual, but also the behavior of others interacting with an inflamed individual; and (3) We must consider the relative increases in inflammation (i.e., higher vs. lower) as a contributor to social withdrawal vs. approach. Ultimately, we urge the field to move beyond a singular focus on inflammation and social withdrawal so that we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of inflammation on a variety of social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely A. Muscatell
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
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15
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Massaccesi C, Korb S, Skoluda N, Nater UM, Silani G. Effects of Appetitive and Aversive Motivational States on Wanting and Liking of Interpersonal Touch. Neuroscience 2021; 464:12-25. [PMID: 32949673 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Social rewards represent a strong driving force behind decisions and behaviors. Previous research suggests that the processing of a reward depends on the initial state of the individual. However, empirical research in humans on the influence of motivational states on reward processing is scant, especially for rewards of social nature. In the present study, we aimed at investigating how aversive and appetitive motivation affects the processing of social rewards, such as interpersonal touch. Participants (n = 102) were assigned to an appetitive (positive) or aversive (negative) motivational state condition (via modified versions of the Trier Social Stress Test) or to a control condition. After the state induction, their (a) self-reports of wanting and liking, (b) effort, and (c) hedonic facial reactions during anticipation and consumption of interpersonal touch, were measured. Participants in the aversive group showed higher subjective wanting of interpersonal touch, but no changes in subjective liking, compared to the control group. The aversive group also showed stronger positive hedonic facial reactions during reward anticipation, reflecting stronger anticipatory pleasure. No significant effects were found for the appetitive group. The results indicate that, after being exposed to an aversive experience, the motivation to obtain interpersonal touch, as well as the associated anticipatory pleasure, increase, without a corresponding change in liking during or after its consumption. The findings point to differential state-dependent effects on the processing of social rewards, possibly due to the action of different neurobiological systems regulating reward anticipation and consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Massaccesi
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | - Sebastian Korb
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria; Faculty of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Urs M Nater
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Giorgia Silani
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
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16
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Kraft P, Kraft B. Explaining socioeconomic disparities in health behaviours: A review of biopsychological pathways involving stress and inflammation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:689-708. [PMID: 34048858 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this article was to explore how individuals' position in a socioeconomic hierarchy is related to health behaviours that are related to socioeconomic disparities in health. We identified research which shows that: (a) low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with living in harsh environments, (b) harsh environments are related to increased levels of stress and inflammation, (c) stress and inflammation impact neural systems involved in self-control by sensitising the impulsive system and desensitising the reflective system, (d) the effects are inflated valuations of small immediate rewards and deflated valuations of larger delayed rewards, (e) these effects are observed as increased delay discounting, and (f) delay discounting is positively associated with practicing more unhealthy behaviours. The results are discussed within an adaptive evolutionary framework which lays out how the stress response system, and its interaction with the immune system and brain systems for decision-making and behaviours, provides the biopsychological mechanisms and regulatory shifts that make widespread conditional adaptability possible. Consequences for policy work, interventions, and future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pål Kraft
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1094, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, Bjørknes University College, Lovisenberggata 13, 0456, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Brage Kraft
- Division of Psychiatry, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, P. O. Box 23 Vinderen, 0319, Oslo, Norway.
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17
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Chat IKY, Nusslock R, Moriarity DP, Bart CP, Mac Giollabhui N, Damme KSF, Carroll AL, Miller GE, Alloy LB. Goal-striving tendencies moderate the relationship between reward-related brain function and peripheral inflammation. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 94:60-70. [PMID: 33705866 PMCID: PMC8075112 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is associated with both lower and higher activity in brain regions that process rewarding stimuli. How can both low and high sensitivity to rewards be associated with higher inflammation? We propose that one potential mechanism underlying these apparently conflicting findings pertains to how people pursue goals in their environment. This prediction is based on evidence that both an inability to disengage from unattainable goals and low interest in and pursuit of important life goals are associated with poor health outcomes, including inflammation. Accordingly, this study examined the relationship between reward-related brain function and peripheral inflammation among individuals with different levels of ambitious goal-striving tendencies. Eighty-three participants completed an ambitious goal-striving tendency measure, an fMRI Monetary Incentive Delay task assessing orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) activation during reward anticipation and outcome, and a venous blood draw to assess the inflammatory biomarkers interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein, from which we computed an inflammation composite score. We observed a reward anticipation by goal-striving interaction on inflammation, such that high OFC and NAc activation to reward anticipation (but not outcome) were associated with more inflammation, among high goal-striving individuals. By contrast, low NAc activation during reward anticipation (but not outcome) was associated with more inflammation, among low goal-striving individuals. The current study provides further evidence that both blunted and elevated reward function can be associated with inflammation. It also highlights the role that goal-striving tendencies may play in moderating the relationship between neural reward anticipation and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Ka-Yi Chat
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robin Nusslock
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Corinne P Bart
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Katherine S F Damme
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences (DevSci), Northwestern University, Evanston and Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ann L Carroll
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Lauren B Alloy
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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18
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Carvalheiro J, Conceição VA, Mesquita A, Seara-Cardoso A. Acute stress impairs reward learning in men. Brain Cogn 2020; 147:105657. [PMID: 33341656 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2020.105657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Acute stress is ubiquitous in everyday life, but the extent to which acute stress affects how people learn from the outcomes of their choices is still poorly understood. Here, we investigate how acute stress impacts reward and punishment learning in men using a reinforcement-learning task. Sixty-two male participants performed the task whilst under stress and control conditions. We observed that acute stress impaired participants' choice performance towards monetary gains, but not losses. To unravel the mechanism(s) underlying such impairment, we fitted a reinforcement-learning model to participants' trial-by-trial choices. Computational modeling indicated that under acute stress participants learned more slowly from positive prediction errors - when the outcomes were better than expected - consistent with stress-induced dopamine disruptions. Such mechanistic understanding of how acute stress impairs reward learning is particularly important given the pervasiveness of stress in our daily life and the impact that stress can have on our wellbeing and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Carvalheiro
- Escola de Psicologia, CIPsi, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Vasco A Conceição
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Ana Mesquita
- Escola de Psicologia, CIPsi, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Escola de Psicologia, CIPsi, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
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19
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Straka K, Tran ML, Millwood S, Swanson J, Kuhlman KR. Aging as a Context for the Role of Inflammation in Depressive Symptoms. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:605347. [PMID: 33536949 PMCID: PMC7848015 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.605347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis and maintenance of depressive symptoms. The role of inflammation in depressive symptomatology may be complex, varying within endophenotypes and across the lifespan. Aging is associated with myriad changes in the structure and function of the brain. Yet, little attention has been given to the role of inflammation in depressive symptoms within a lifespan developmental framework. In this study, we examined whether the association between inflammation and depressive symptom domains varied by age. Participants were a community sample of individuals (N = 2,077, Range = 30-84) who participated in the Biomarker projects of the MIDUS2, MIDUS Refresher, or the MIDJA study. Inflammation was indexed by two inflammatory markers consistently implicated in depressed individuals, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), measured in blood. Depressive symptom domains, including depressed affect, anhedonia, somatic complaints, and interpersonal problems, were reported via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Inflammatory markers were associated with more somatic complaints, more interpersonal problems, and less anhedonia. Age moderated the relationship between inflammatory markers and two depressive symptom subscales. Specifically, the positive association between inflammation and somatic complaints and the negative association between inflammation and anhedonia increased with age. These observations offer preliminary evidence from a large community sample that aging may be an important context for the role of inflammatory signaling in different aspects of psychological and behavioral well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelci Straka
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Mai-Lan Tran
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Summer Millwood
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - James Swanson
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Kate Ryan Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.,Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, Unites States.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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