1
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Costello H, Husain M, Roiser JP. Apathy and Motivation: Biological Basis and Drug Treatment. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 64:313-338. [PMID: 37585659 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-022423-014645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Apathy is a disabling syndrome associated with poor functional outcomes that is common across a broad range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. Currently, there are no established therapies specifically for the condition, and safe and effective treatments are urgently needed. Advances in the understanding of motivation and goal-directed behavior in humans and animals have shed light on the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms contributing to apathy, providing an important foundation for the development of new treatments. Here, we review the cognitive components, neural circuitry, and pharmacology of apathy and motivation, highlighting converging evidence of shared transdiagnostic mechanisms. Though no pharmacological treatments have yet been licensed, we summarize trials of existing and novel compounds to date, identifying several promising candidates for clinical use and avenues of future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Costello
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
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2
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Chong TTJ, Fortunato E, Bellgrove MA. Amphetamines Improve the Motivation to Invest Effort in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6898-6908. [PMID: 37666665 PMCID: PMC10573750 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0982-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prevailing frameworks propose that a key feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is lower motivation. An important component of motivation is the willingness to engage in cognitively or physically effortful behavior. However, the degree to which effort sensitivity is impaired in ADHD has rarely been tested, and the efficacy of stimulant medication in ameliorating any such impairments is unclear. Here, we tested 20 individuals with ADHD (11 males, 9 females) who were managed with amphetamine-based medication (dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine), and 24 controls (8 males, 16 females). Individuals with ADHD were tested over two counterbalanced sessions, ON and OFF their usual amphetamine-based medication. In each session, participants performed an effort-based decision-making task, in which they were required to choose how much cognitive or physical effort they were willing to engage in return for reward. Our results revealed three main findings. First, individuals with ADHD had lower motivation relative to controls to invest effort in both the cognitive and physical domains. Second, amphetamine increased motivation uniformly across both domains. Finally, the net effect of amphetamine treatment was to mostly restore motivation across both domains of effort relative to healthy controls. These data provide clear evidence for a heightened sensitivity to both cognitive and physical effort in ADHD, and reveal the efficacy of amphetamine-based drugs in restoring effort sensitivity to levels similar to controls. These findings confirm the existence of reduced motivational drive in ADHD, and more broadly provide direct causal evidence for a domain-general role of catecholamines in motivating effortful behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A core feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is thought to be a heightened aversion to effort. Surprisingly, however, the degree to which effort sensitivity is impaired in ADHD has rarely been tested. More broadly, the relative efficacy of catecholamines in motivating the investment of cognitive and physical effort is unclear. We tested 20 individuals with ADHD ON and OFF amphetamines, and compared their behavior on an effort-based decision-making task to 24 controls. When tested OFF medication, the ADHD group was less cognitively and physically motivated than controls. However, amphetamines led to a comparable increase in motivation across both domains. This demonstrates the efficacy of catecholamines in facilitating domain-general effort, and highlights the broader potential of such drugs to treat disorders of motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3065, Australia
| | - Erika Fortunato
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Mark A Bellgrove
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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3
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Quang H, Le Heron C, Balleine B, Nguyen TV, Nguyen TQ, Nguyen MN, Kumfor F, McDonald S. Reduced Sensitivity to Background Reward Underlies Apathy After Traumatic Brain Injury: Insights From an Ecological Foraging Framework. Neuroscience 2023; 528:26-36. [PMID: 37536610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered reward processing is increasingly recognised as a crucial mechanism underpinning apathy in many brain disorders. However despite its clinical relevance, little is known about the mechanisms of apathy following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In real-life situations, reward representations encompass both foreground (gains from current activity) and background (potential gains from the broader environment) elements. This latter variable provides a crucial set-point for switching behaviour in many naturalistic settings. We hypothesised apathy post-TBI would be associated with disrupted background reward sensitivity. METHODS We administered a computer-based foraging task to 45 people with moderate-to-severe TBI (20 with apathy, 39 males) and 37 matched controls. Participants decided when to leave locations (patches) where foreground reward rates depleted at differing rates, to pursue greater rewards from other patches in the environment, which had either a high or low background reward rate. Primary analysis was performed using linear mixed effects models, with patch leaving time the dependent variable. RESULTS Findings showed a significant interaction between apathy and background reward sensitivity, driven by apathetic TBI participants not altering patch-leaving decisions as environmental reward rate changed. In contrast, although TBI was associated with reduced sensitivity to changing foreground rewards, this did not vary as a function of apathy. CONCLUSIONS These results provide the first evidence directly linking disrupted background reward processing to apathy in any brain disorder. They identify a novel mechanism for apathy following moderate-to-severe TBI, and point towards novel interventions to improve this debilitating complication of head injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halle Quang
- University of New South Wales, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Campbell Le Heron
- University of Otago, Department of Medicine, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand; New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand; Department of Neurology, Canterbury District Health Board, 8011, New Zealand
| | - Bernard Balleine
- University of New South Wales, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Tuong-Vu Nguyen
- Cho Ray Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
| | - Truc-Quynh Nguyen
- Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, School of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
| | - My-Ngan Nguyen
- Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, School of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam
| | - Fiona Kumfor
- University of Sydney, School of Psychology and Brain & Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Skye McDonald
- University of New South Wales, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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4
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Brosnan M, Pearce DJ, O'Neill MH, Loughnane GM, Fleming B, Zhou SH, Chong T, Nobre AC, O Connell RG, Bellgrove MA. Evidence Accumulation Rate Moderates the Relationship between Enriched Environment Exposure and Age-Related Response Speed Declines. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6401-6414. [PMID: 37507230 PMCID: PMC10500991 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2260-21.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Older adults exposed to enriched environments (EEs) maintain relatively higher levels of cognitive function, even in the face of compromised markers of brain health. Response speed (RS) is often used as a simple proxy to measure the preservation of global cognitive function in older adults. However, it is unknown which specific selection, decision, and/or motor processes provide the most specific indices of neurocognitive health. Here, using a simple decision task with electroencephalography (EEG), we found that the efficiency with which an individual accumulates sensory evidence was a critical determinant of the extent to which RS was preserved in older adults (63% female, 37% male). Moreover, the mitigating influence of EE on age-related RS declines was most pronounced when evidence accumulation rates were shallowest. These results suggest that the phenomenon of cognitive reserve, whereby high EE individuals can better tolerate suboptimal brain health to facilitate the preservation of cognitive function, is not just applicable to neuroanatomical indicators of brain aging but can be observed in markers of neurophysiology. Our results suggest that EEG metrics of evidence accumulation may index neurocognitive vulnerability of the aging brain.Significance Statement Response speed in older adults is closely linked with trajectories of cognitive aging. Here, by recording brain activity while individuals perform a simple computer task, we identify a neural metric that is a critical determinant of response speed. Older adults exposed to greater cognitive and social stimulation throughout a lifetime could maintain faster responding, even when this neural metric was impaired. This work suggests EEG is a useful technique for interrogating how a lifetime of stimulation benefits brain health in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Méadhbh Brosnan
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Daniel J Pearce
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Megan H O'Neill
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Gerard M Loughnane
- School of Business, National College of Ireland, Dublin 1, Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Bryce Fleming
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Shou-Han Zhou
- Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Trevor Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Anna C Nobre
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Redmond G O Connell
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
- School of Business, National College of Ireland, Dublin 1, Ireland
| | - Mark A Bellgrove
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
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5
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Christensen E, Brydevall M, Albertella L, Samarawickrama SK, Yücel M, Lee RSC. Neurocognitive predictors of addiction-related outcomes: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105295. [PMID: 37391111 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
It is well-established that addiction is typically associated with a distinct pattern of neurocognitive functioning with a consensus that it is typified by impaired top-down executive control and aberrant risk-reward processing. Despite a consensus that neurocognition plays an important role in characterizing and maintaining addictive disorders, there is a lack of systematic, bottom-up synthesis of quantitative evidence showing that neurocognition predicts addictive behaviors, and which neurocognitive constructs have the best predictive validity. This systematic review aimed to assess whether cognitive control and risk-reward processes as defined by the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) predict the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors specifically, consumption, severity, and relapse. The findings from this review expose the substantial lack of evidence for neurocognition predicting addiction outcomes. However, there is evidence that suggests reward-related neurocognitive processes may be important for the detection of early risk for addiction, as well as a potentially viable target for designing novel, more effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erynn Christensen
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Maja Brydevall
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Lucy Albertella
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sashka K Samarawickrama
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Child Development and Digital Technologies Lab, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Murat Yücel
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Rico S C Lee
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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6
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Kareklas K, Teles MC, Nunes AR, Oliveira RF. Social zebrafish: Danio rerio as an emerging model in social neuroendocrinology. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13280. [PMID: 37165563 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The fitness benefits of social life depend on the ability of animals to affiliate with others and form groups, on dominance hierarchies within groups that determine resource distribution, and on cognitive capacities for recognition, learning and information transfer. The evolution of these phenotypes is coupled with that of neuroendocrine mechanisms, but the causal link between the two remains underexplored. Growing evidence from our research group and others demonstrates that the tools available in zebrafish, Danio rerio, can markedly facilitate progress in this field. Here, we review this evidence and provide a synthesis of the state-of-the-art in this model system. We discuss the involvement of generalized motivation and cognitive components, neuroplasticity and functional connectivity across social decision-making brain areas, and how these are modulated chiefly by the oxytocin-vasopressin neuroendocrine system, but also by reward-pathway monoamine signaling and the effects of sex-hormones and stress physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Magda C Teles
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Rui F Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
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7
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Barber TR, Muhammed K, Drew D, Bradley KM, McGowan DR, Klein JC, Manohar SG, Hu MTM, Husain M. Reward insensitivity is associated with dopaminergic deficit in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Brain 2023; 146:2502-2511. [PMID: 36395092 PMCID: PMC10232265 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) has now been established as an important marker of the prodromal stage of Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. However, although dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been used to demonstrate the presence of nigro-striatal deficit in iRBD, quantifiable correlates of this are currently lacking. Sensitivity to rewarding stimuli is reduced in some people with Parkinson's disease, potentially contributing to aspects of the neuropsychiatric phenotype in these individuals. Furthermore, a role for dopaminergic degeneration is suggested by the fact that reward insensitivity can be improved by dopaminergic medications. Patients with iRBD present a unique opportunity to study the relationship between reward sensitivity and early dopaminergic deficit in the unmedicated state. Here, we investigate whether a non-invasive, objective measure of reward sensitivity might be a marker of dopaminergic status in prodromal Parkinson's disease by comparing with SPECT/CT measurement of dopaminergic loss in the basal ganglia. Striatal dopaminergic deficits in iRBD are associated with progression to Parkinsonian disorders. Therefore, identification of a clinically measurable correlate of this degenerative process might provide a basis for the development of novel risk stratification tools. Using a recently developed incentivized eye-tracking task, we quantified reward sensitivity in a cohort of 41 patients with iRBD and compared this with data from 40 patients with Parkinson's disease and 41 healthy controls. Patients with iRBD also underwent neuroimaging with dopamine transporter SPECT/CT. Overall, reward sensitivity, indexed by pupillary response to monetary incentives, was reduced in iRBD cases compared with controls and was not significantly different to that in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, in iRBD patients with normal dopamine transporter SPECT/CT imaging, reward sensitivity was not significantly different from healthy controls. Across all iRBD cases, a positive association was observed between reward sensitivity and dopaminergic SPECT/CT signal in the putamen. These findings demonstrate a direct relationship between dopaminergic deficit and reward sensitivity in patients with iRBD and suggest that measurement of pupillary responses could be of value in models of risk stratification and disease progression in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Barber
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Kinan Muhammed
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Daniel Drew
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Kevin M Bradley
- Wales Research and Diagnostic PET Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, School of Medicine, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Daniel R McGowan
- Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7LE, UK
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Johannes C Klein
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sanjay G Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Michele T M Hu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Level 6, West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
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8
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Davis MC, Hill AT, Fitzgerald PB, Bailey NW, Sullivan C, Stout JC, Hoy KE. Medial prefrontal transcranial alternating current stimulation for apathy in Huntington's disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 126:110776. [PMID: 37120005 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeted to the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and administered at either delta or alpha frequencies, on brain activity and apathy in people with Huntington's disease (HD) (n = 17). Given the novelty of the protocol, neurotypical controls (n = 20) were also recruited. All participants underwent three 20-min sessions of tACS; one session at alpha frequency (Individualised Alpha Frequency (IAF), or 10 Hz when an IAF was not detected); one session at delta frequency (2 Hz); and a session of sham tACS. Participants completed the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task with simultaneous recording of EEG immediately before and after each tACS condition. The MID task presents participants with cues signalling potential monetary gains or losses that increase activity in key regions of the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical networks, with dysfunction of the latter network being implicated in the pathophysiology of apathy. We used the P300 and Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) event-related potentials elicited during the MID task as markers of mPFC engagement. HD participants' CNV amplitude significantly increased in response to alpha-tACS, but not delta-tACS or sham. Neurotypical controls' P300 and CNV were not modulated by any of the tACS conditions, but they did demonstrate a significant decrease in post-target response times following alpha-tACS. We present this as preliminary evidence of the ability of alpha-tACS to modulate brain activity associated with apathy in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claire Davis
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Statewide Progressive Neurological Disease Service, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Aron T Hill
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Neil W Bailey
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Monarch Research Institute Monarch Mental Health Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Caley Sullivan
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate E Hoy
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; The Bionics Institute of Australia, 384-388 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
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9
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Davis MC, Hill AT, Fitzgerald PB, Stout JC, Hoy KE. Motivationally salient cue processing measured using the monetary incentive delay (MID) task with electroencephalography (EEG): A potential marker of apathy in Huntington's disease. Neuropsychologia 2022; 177:108426. [PMID: 36414099 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We explored the utility of the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task with concurrent encephalography (EEG) as a marker of apathy in people with Huntington's disease (HD) as well as neurotypical controls. Specifically, we assessed between and within-group differences in the amplitude of the P300 and Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) event-related potentials as a function of motivational salience. In contrast to neurotypical controls, HD participants' ERP amplitudes were not differentially modulated by motivationally salient cues (i.e., signalling potential 'gain' or 'loss') compared to 'neutral' cues. Difference waves isolating amplitude specific to the motivationally salient cues were calculated for the P300 and CNV. Only the difference waves for ERPs elicited by 'gain' cues differentiated the groups. The CNV difference wave was also significantly correlated with clinical measures of apathy and processing speed in the HD group. These findings provide initial support for the use of the MID with EEG as a marker of apathy in HD, and its potential as a sensitive outcome measure for novel treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claire Davis
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Statewide Progressive Neurological Disease Service, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Aron T Hill
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Burwood, Australia.
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
| | - Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton Campus, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Kate E Hoy
- Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; The Bionics Institute of Australia, 384-388 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia.
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10
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Horne KS, Gibson EC, Byrne J, Bender JR, Robinson GA. Post-stroke apathy: A case series investigation of neuropsychological and lesion characteristics. Neuropsychologia 2022; 171:108244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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11
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Jurgelis M, Boardman JM, Coxon JP, Drummond SPA, Chong TTJ. Sleep Restriction Reduces Cognitive but Not Physical Motivation. Nat Sci Sleep 2022; 14:2001-2012. [PMID: 36394069 PMCID: PMC9642807 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s368335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Motivation is an important driver of behaviour, and several frameworks distinguish the willingness of individuals to invest cognitive versus physical effort to achieve a goal. One outstanding question is whether sleep loss lowers motivation within specific domains of effort, or has a global effect on motivation across multiple domains. Here, we investigated the effects of sleep restriction on the motivation to invest cognitive or physical effort in return for reward. MATERIALS AND METHODS 24 healthy young adults (11 females) completed an effort-based decision-making task over two laboratory sessions - once while sleep restricted (three consecutive nights with a three-hour sleep opportunity), and the other while fully rested (nine-hour sleep opportunity on each night). In an initial reinforcement phase, participants were trained to ceiling performance across six levels of effort on separate cognitively and physically demanding tasks. Then, in the critical decision-making phase, participants revealed their preference for how much cognitive or physical effort they would be willing to invest for reward. RESULTS Sleep restriction reduced the willingness to exert cognitive effort, but spared motivation in the physical domain. Furthermore, the reduction in cognitive motivation appeared to be a primary motivational deficit, which could not be attributed to differences in reward-likelihood of different levels of effort or the temporal structure of the task. CONCLUSION The results suggest that sleep restriction has a selective effect on cognitive over physical motivation, which has significant implications for real-world settings in which individuals must maintain high levels of cognitive motivation in the face of chronic sleep loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindaugas Jurgelis
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Johanna M Boardman
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - James P Coxon
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Sean P A Drummond
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Trevor T J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, 3065, Australia
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12
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Gu S, He Z, Xu Q, Dong J, Xiao T, Liang F, Ma X, Wang F, Huang JH. The Relationship Between 5-Hydroxytryptamine and Its Metabolite Changes With Post-stroke Depression. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:871754. [PMID: 35558423 PMCID: PMC9086784 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.871754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most common and serious sequelae of stroke. Approximately 33% of stroke survivors were affected by PSD. However, many issues (e.g., incidence, diagnostic marker, and risk factor) related to PSD remained unclear. The "monoamine hypothesis" is a significant hypothesis for depression, which suggests that three monoamines play a key role in depression. Therefore, most current antidepressants are developed to modulate the monoamines on PSD treatment, and these antidepressants have good effects on patients with PSD. However, the potential mechanisms of three monoamines in PSD are still unclear. Previously, we proposed "three primary emotions," which suggested a new model of basic emotions based on the three monoamines. It may provide a new way for PSD treatment. In addition, recent studies have found that monoamine-related emotional intervention also showed potential effects in the treatment and prevention of PSD. This study discusses these issues and attempts to provide a prospect for future research on PSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeng Gu
- Department of Psychology, Jiangsu University Medical School, Zhenjiang, China.,Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhengming He
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiuyue Xu
- Department of Nurse, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Dong
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tingwei Xiao
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fei Liang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xianjun Ma
- Section of Brain Diseases, Department of Neurology, Lianyungang Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Lianyungang, China
| | - Fushun Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jason H Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, United States.,Department of Surgery, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, United States
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13
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Goh AXA, Bennett D, Bode S, Chong TTJ. Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the subjective value of information. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1346. [PMID: 34903804 PMCID: PMC8669024 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02850-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have a striking desire to actively seek new information, even when it is devoid of any instrumental utility. However, the mechanisms that drive individuals' subjective preference for information remain unclear. Here, we used fMRI to examine the processing of subjective information value, by having participants decide how much effort they were willing to trade-off for non-instrumental information. We showed that choices were best described by a model that accounted for: (1) the variability in individuals' estimates of uncertainty, (2) their desire to reduce that uncertainty, and (3) their subjective preference for positively valenced information. Model-based analyses revealed the anterior cingulate as a key node that encodes the subjective value of information across multiple stages of decision-making - including when information was prospectively valued, and when the outcome was definitively delivered. These findings emphasise the multidimensionality of information value, and reveal the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the variability in individuals' desire to physically pursue informative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel X-A Goh
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Daniel Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, 3065, Australia.
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14
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Heightened effort discounting is a common feature of both apathy and fatigue. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22283. [PMID: 34782630 PMCID: PMC8593117 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01287-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy and fatigue have distinct aetiologies, yet can manifest in phenotypically similar ways. In particular, each can give rise to diminished goal-directed behaviour, which is often cited as a key characteristic of both traits. An important issue therefore is whether currently available approaches are capable of distinguishing between them. Here, we examined the relationship between commonly administered inventories of apathy and fatigue, and a measure of goal-directed activity that assesses the motivation to engage in effortful behaviour. 103 healthy adults completed self-report inventories on apathy (the Dimensional Apathy Scale), and fatigue (the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and/or Modified Fatigue Impact Scale). In addition, all participants performed an effort discounting task, in which they made choices about their willingness to engage in physically effortful activity. Importantly, self-report ratings of apathy and fatigue were strongly correlated, suggesting that these inventories were insensitive to the fundamental differences between the two traits. Furthermore, greater effort discounting was strongly associated with higher ratings across all inventories, suggesting that a common feature of both traits is a lower motivation to engage in effortful behaviour. These results have significant implications for the assessment of both apathy and fatigue, particularly in clinical groups in which they commonly co-exist.
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15
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Lopez-Gamundi P, Yao YW, Chong TTJ, Heekeren HR, Mas-Herrero E, Marco-Pallarés J. The neural basis of effort valuation: A meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1275-1287. [PMID: 34710515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Choosing how much effort to expend is critical for everyday decisions. While several neuroimaging studies have examined effort-based decision-making, results have been highly heterogeneous, leaving unclear which brain regions process effort-related costs and integrate them with rewards. We conducted two meta-analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging data to examine consistent neural correlates of effort demands (23 studies, 15 maps, 549 participants) and net value (15 studies, 11 maps, 428 participants). The pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) scaled positively with pure effort demand, whereas the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) showed the opposite effect. Moreover, regions that have been previously implicated in value integration in other cost domains, such as the vmPFC and ventral striatum, were consistently involved in signaling net value. The opposite response patterns of the pre-SMA and vmPFC imply that they are differentially involved in the representation of effort costs and value integration. These findings provide conclusive evidence that the vmPFC is a central node for net value computation and reveal potential brain targets to treat motivation-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Lopez-Gamundi
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), C/ Feixa Llarga, s/n - Pavelló de Govern - Edifici Modular, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
| | - Yuan-Wei Yao
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 14159, Germany; Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Germany; Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Hauke R Heekeren
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, 14159, Germany; Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Germany; Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Ernest Mas-Herrero
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), C/ Feixa Llarga, s/n - Pavelló de Govern - Edifici Modular, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Josep Marco-Pallarés
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), C/ Feixa Llarga, s/n - Pavelló de Govern - Edifici Modular, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
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16
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Verdejo-Garcia A, Chong TTJ. Targeting goal-based decision-making for addiction recovery. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 210:173275. [PMID: 34547354 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, 3800 Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, 3800 Clayton, VIC, Australia
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17
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Mishra P, Yang SE, Montgomery AB, Reed AR, Rodan AR, Rothenfluh A. The fly liquid-food electroshock assay (FLEA) suggests opposite roles for neuropeptide F in avoidance of bitterness and shock. BMC Biol 2021; 19:31. [PMID: 33593351 PMCID: PMC7888162 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00969-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Proper regulation of feeding is important for an organism’s well-being and survival and involves a motivational component directing the search for food. Dissecting the molecular and neural mechanisms of motivated feeding behavior requires assays that allow quantification of both motivation and food intake. Measurements of motivated behavior usually involve assessing physical effort or overcoming an aversive stimulus. Food intake in Drosophila can be determined in a number of ways, including by measuring the time a fly’s proboscis interacts with a food source associated with an electrical current in the fly liquid-food interaction counter (FLIC). Here, we show that electrical current flowing through flies during this interaction is aversive, and we describe a modified assay to measure motivation in Drosophila. Results Food intake is reduced during the interaction with FLIC when the electrical current is turned on, which provides a confounding variable in studies of motivated behavior. Based on the FLIC, we engineer a novel assay, the fly liquid-food electroshock assay (FLEA), which allows for current adjustments for each feeding well. Using the FLEA, we show that both external incentives and internal motivational state can serve as drivers for flies to overcome higher current (electric shock) to obtain superior food. Unlike similar assays in which bitterness is the aversive stimulus for the fly to overcome, we show that current perception is not discounted as flies become more food-deprived. Finally, we use genetically manipulated flies to show that neuropeptide F, an orthologue of mammalian NPY previously implicated in regulation of feeding motivation, is required for sensory processing of electrical current. Conclusion The FLEA is therefore a novel assay to accurately measure incentive motivation in Drosophila. Using the FLEA, we also show that neuropeptide F is required for proper perception or processing of an electroshock, a novel function for this neuropeptide involved in the processing of external and internal stimuli. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-00969-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puskar Mishra
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Shany E Yang
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Addison R Reed
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Aylin R Rodan
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Medical Service, Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Adrian Rothenfluh
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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18
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Atkins KJ, Andrews SC, Chong TTJ, Stout JC. Multidimensional Apathy: The Utility of the Dimensional Apathy Scale in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2021; 8:361-370. [PMID: 33816664 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.13147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Apathy is a disorder of motivation common to Huntington's disease (HD). Recent conceptual frameworks suggest that apathy is not unitary but consists of discrete subtypes ("dimensions"). Which of the proposed dimensions are preferentially affected in HD, and how these dimensions evolve with disease progression is unknown. Objectives The Dimensional Apathy Scale (DAS) separates apathy into Executive, Initiation and Emotional subscales. Using the DAS, we aimed to: 1) Determine the apathy subtypes prevalent in HD; 2) Compare the DAS against a unitary measure of apathy (Apathy Evaluation Scale, AES); 3) Assess the reliability of self- and observer-ratings; and 4) Determine the relationship between the DAS, and disease burden, total functional capacity (TFC) and the AES. Method Fifty pre-manifest, 51 manifest-HD, 87 controls, and 50 HD-observers completed the DAS, AES, and TFC. Results Manifest-HD participants had the highest levels of apathy across all dimensions (30.4% on Executive subscale, 34.8% on Initiation subscale, and 15.2% on Emotional subscale), relative to pre-manifest and control participants. Self- and observer-ratings on the DAS did not differ. Hierarchical regressions across the entire gene-expanded sample showed that scores on the Initiation subscale correlated with AES scores; higher Executive subscale scores were related to higher disease burden; and Emotional subscale scores with lower total functional capacity. Conclusions In this first study of the DAS in HD, manifest-HD participants were more apathetic than pre-manifest and control participants across all apathy subtypes. The DAS may be a useful tool for measuring different aspects of apathy in people with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Atkins
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Sophie C Andrews
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia Sydney New South Wales Australia.,School of Psychiatry University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia.,Department of Neurology Alfred Health Melbourne Victoria Australia.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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19
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Atkins KJ, Andrews SC, Stout JC, Chong TTJ. Dissociable Motivational Deficits in Pre-manifest Huntington's Disease. CELL REPORTS MEDICINE 2020; 1:100152. [PMID: 33377123 PMCID: PMC7762769 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Motivation is characterized by a willingness to overcome both cognitive and physical effort costs. Impairments in motivation are common in striatal disorders, such as Huntington’s disease (HD), but whether these impairments are isolated to particular domains of behavior is controversial. We ask whether HD differentially affects the willingness of individuals to overcome cognitive versus physical effort. We tested 20 individuals with pre-manifest HD and compared their behavior to 20 controls. Across separate trials, participants made choices about how much cognitive or physical effort they were willing to invest for reward. Our key results were that individuals with pre-manifest HD were less willing than controls to invest cognitive effort but were no different in their overall preference for physical effort. These results cannot be explained by group differences in neuropsychological or psychiatric profiles. This dissociation of cognitive- and physical-effort-based decisions provides important evidence for separable, domain-specific mechanisms of motivation. We examine cognitive and physical effort discounting in pre-manifest HD Individuals with pre-manifest HD are less cognitively motivated than controls There are no differences in physical motivation between the two groups This dissociation is not confounded by neuropsychological or psychiatric factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Atkins
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sophie C Andrews
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia
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20
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Yagishita S. Transient and sustained effects of dopamine and serotonin signaling in motivation-related behavior. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 74:91-98. [PMID: 31599012 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacological studies of antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics have suggested a role of dopamine and serotonin signaling in depression. However, depressive symptoms and treatment effects are difficult to explain based simply on brain-wide decrease or increase in the concentrations of these molecules. Recent animal studies using advanced neuronal manipulation and observation techniques have revealed detailed dopamine and serotonin dynamics that regulate diverse aspects of motivation-related behavior. Dopamine and serotonin transiently modulate moment-to-moment behavior at timescales ranging from sub-second to minutes and also produce persistent effects, such as reward-related learning and stress responses that last longer than several days. Transient and sustained effects often exhibit specific roles depending on the projection sites, where distinct synaptic and cellular mechanisms are required to process the neurotransmitters for each transient and sustained timescale. Therefore, it appears that specific aspects of motivation-related behavior are regulated by distinct synaptic and cellular mechanisms in specific brain regions that underlie the transient and sustained effects of dopamine and serotonin signaling. Recent clinical studies have implied that subjects with depressive symptoms show impaired transient and sustained signaling functions; moreover, they exhibit heterogeneity in depressive symptoms and neuronal dysfunction. Depressive symptoms may be explained by the dysfunction of each transient and sustained signaling mechanism, and distinct patterns of impairment in the relevant mechanisms may explain the heterogeneity of symptoms. Thus, detailed understanding of dopamine and serotonin signaling may provide new insight into depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Yagishita
- Laboratory of Structural Physiology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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McGuigan S, Zhou SH, Brosnan MB, Thyagarajan D, Bellgrove MA, Chong TTJ. Dopamine restores cognitive motivation in Parkinson's disease. Brain 2020; 142:719-732. [PMID: 30689734 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Disorders of motivation, such as apathy, are common in Parkinson's disease, and a key feature of such disorders is a greater aversion to effort. In humans, the experience of cognitive effort is ubiquitous, and cognitive apathy has traditionally been considered distinct and separable from other subtypes. Surprisingly, however, the neurobiology of cognitive motivation is poorly understood. In particular, although dopamine has a well-characterized role in incentivizing physically effortful behaviour, a critical, unresolved issue is whether its facilitatory role generalizes to other domains. Here, we asked how dopamine modulates the willingness of patients with Parkinson's disease to invest cognitive effort in return for reward. We tested 20 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease across two counterbalanced sessions-ON and OFF their usual dopaminergic medication-and compared their performance to 20 healthy age-matched controls. We applied a novel task in which we manipulated cognitive effort as the number of rapid serial visual presentation streams to which participants had to attend. After training participants to ceiling performance, we then asked them to choose between a low-effort/low-reward baseline option, and a higher-effort/higher-reward offer. Computational models of choice behaviour revealed four key results. First, patients OFF medication were significantly less cognitively motivated than controls, as manifest by steeper cognitive effort discounting functions in the former group. Second, dopaminergic therapy improved this deficit, such that choices in patients ON medication were indistinguishable from controls. Third, differences in motivation were also accompanied by independent changes in the stochasticity of individuals' decisions, such that dopamine reduced the variability in choice behaviour. Finally, choices on our task correlated uniquely with the subscale of the Dimensional Apathy Scale that specifically indexes cognitive motivation, which suggests a close relationship between our laboratory measure of cognitive effort discounting and subjective reports of day-to-day cognitive apathy. Importantly, participants' choices were not confounded by temporal discounting, probability discounting, physical demand, or varying task performance. These results are the first to reveal the central role of dopamine in overcoming cognitive effort costs. They provide an insight into the computational mechanisms underlying cognitive apathy in Parkinson's disease, and demonstrate its amenability to dopaminergic therapy. More broadly, they offer important empirical support for prominent frameworks proposing a domain-general role for dopamine in value-based decision-making, and provide a critical link between dopamine and multidimensional theories of apathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara McGuigan
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shou-Han Zhou
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Méadhbh B Brosnan
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Mark A Bellgrove
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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22
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Barber TR, Griffanti L, Muhammed K, Drew DS, Bradley KM, McGowan DR, Crabbe M, Lo C, Mackay CE, Husain M, Hu MT, Klein JC. Apathy in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is associated with serotonin depletion in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Brain 2019; 141:2848-2854. [PMID: 30212839 PMCID: PMC6158712 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy is a common and under-recognized disorder that often emerges in the prodromal phase of Parkinsonian diseases. The mechanism by which this occurs is not known, but recent evidence from patients with established Parkinson's disease suggests that serotonergic dysfunction may play a role. The integrity of the raphe serotonergic system can be assessed alongside dopaminergic basal ganglia imaging using the radioligand 123I-ioflupane, which binds both serotonin and dopamine transporters. To investigate the relative roles of these neurotransmitters in prodromal parkinsonism, we imaged patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, the majority of whom will develop a parkinsonian disorder in future. Forty-three patients underwent brain imaging with 123I-ioflupane single photon emission computed tomography and structural MRI. Apathy was quantified using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale. Other clinical parkinsonian features were assessed using standard measures. A negative correlation was observed between apathy severity and serotonergic 123I-ioflupane signal in the dorsal raphe nucleus (r = -0.55, P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between apathy severity and basal ganglia dopaminergic signal, nor between dorsal raphe signal and other neuropsychiatric scores. This specific association between apathy and raphe 123I-ioflupane signal suggests that the serotonergic system might represent a target for the treatment of apathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Barber
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ludovica Griffanti
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kinan Muhammed
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel S Drew
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Daniel R McGowan
- Radiation Physics and Protection Department, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Marie Crabbe
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Christine Lo
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Clare E Mackay
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Michele T Hu
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Johannes C Klein
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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23
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Hauser TU, Will GJ, Dubois M, Dolan RJ. Annual Research Review: Developmental computational psychiatry. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2019; 60:412-426. [PMID: 30252127 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Most psychiatric disorders emerge during childhood and adolescence. This is also a period that coincides with the brain undergoing substantial growth and reorganisation. However, it remains unclear how a heightened vulnerability to psychiatric disorder relates to this brain maturation. Here, we propose 'developmental computational psychiatry' as a framework for linking brain maturation to cognitive development. We argue that through modelling some of the brain's fundamental cognitive computations, and relating them to brain development, we can bridge the gap between brain and cognitive development. This in turn can lead to a richer understanding of the ontogeny of psychiatric disorders. We illustrate this perspective with examples from reinforcement learning and dopamine function. Specifically, we show how computational modelling deepens an understanding of how cognitive processes, such as reward learning, effort learning, and social learning might go awry in psychiatric disorders. Finally, we sketch the promises and limitations of a developmental computational psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias U Hauser
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK.,Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Geert-Jan Will
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK.,Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Magda Dubois
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
| | - Raymond J Dolan
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK.,Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
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24
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Computational modelling reveals distinct patterns of cognitive and physical motivation in elite athletes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11888. [PMID: 30089782 PMCID: PMC6082862 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30220-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Effort can be perceived both cognitively and physically, but the computational mechanisms underlying the motivation to invest effort in each domain remain unclear. In particular, it is unknown whether intensive physical training is associated with higher motivation specific to that domain, or whether it is accompanied by corresponding changes in cognitive motivation. Here, we tested a group of elite Oxford University rowers, and compared their behaviour to matched non-athletic controls. We trained participants on two tasks involving cognitive or physical effort. They then decided between a baseline low level of effort for low reward, versus higher levels of effort for higher rewards. Separate choices were made for the cognitive and physical tasks, which allowed us to computationally model motivation in each domain independently. As expected, athletes were willing to exert greater amounts of physical effort than non-athletes. Critically, however, the nature of cognitive effort-based decisions was different between groups, with a concave pattern of effort discounting for athletes but a convex pattern for non-athletes. These data suggest that the greater physical drive in athletes is accompanied by fundamentally different patterns of cognitive effort discounting, and suggests a complex relationship between motivation in the two domains.
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25
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Douven E, Staals J, Schievink SHJ, van Oostenbrugge RJ, Verhey FRJ, Wetzels-Meertens S, Köhler S, Aalten P. Personality traits and course of symptoms of depression and apathy after stroke: Results of the CASPER study. J Psychosom Res 2018; 111:69-75. [PMID: 29935757 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Post-stroke depression (PSD) and post-stroke apathy (PSA) are both associated with adverse outcome after stroke. This study aimed to examine whether personality traits predict the course of PSD and PSA. METHODS In this prospective cohort study, 240 stroke patients completed the NEO Five Factor Inventory, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and Apathy Evaluation Scale at 3 months post-stroke. Neuropsychiatric assessment was repeated at 6- and 12-month follow-up after initial testing. RESULTS Linear mixed models showed that high neuroticism scores were associated with higher depression levels at baseline, and this association remained stable at follow-up. High extraversion scores and high conscientiousness scores were associated with lower apathy levels at baseline. For neuroticism, a significant interaction with time was found, with higher neuroticism scores at baseline being associated with an increase in apathy scores from 6-month to 12-month follow-up. Prospective analyses showed that high extraversion predicted low apathy levels at 6-month and 12-month follow-up independent of its relations with baseline depression and apathy. High neuroticism predicted high apathy levels at 12-month follow-up, whereas high agreeableness and high openness predicted high apathy levels and low apathy levels, respectively, at 6-month follow-up. None of the personality traits predicted depression scores at follow-up. CONCLUSION Personality traits are associated with the development and sustainability of PSD and PSA. The traits associated with PSD and PSA were different, providing support for the independence of these constructs. The findings highlight the importance to take personality traits into account as a potential vulnerability factor for PSD and PSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elles Douven
- Alzheimer Center Limburg and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Julie Staals
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Syenna H J Schievink
- Alzheimer Center Limburg and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Robert J van Oostenbrugge
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Frans R J Verhey
- Alzheimer Center Limburg and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Sebastian Köhler
- Alzheimer Center Limburg and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Pauline Aalten
- Alzheimer Center Limburg and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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