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Bi R, Zhao Y, Li S, Xu F, Peng W, Tan S, Zhang D. Brain stimulation over the left DLPFC enhances motivation for effortful rewards in patients with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2024; 356:414-423. [PMID: 38640975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.04.064] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amotivation is a typical feature in major depressive disorder (MDD), which produces reduced willingness to exert effort. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is a crucial structure in goal-directed actions and therefore is a potential target in modulating effortful motivation. However, it remains unclear whether the intervention is effective for patients with MDD. METHODS We employed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), computational modelling and event-related potentials (ERPs) to reveal the causal relationship between the left DLPFC and motivation for effortful rewards in MDD. Fifty patients underwent both active and sham TMS sessions, each followed by performing an Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task, during which participants chose and implemented between low-effort/low-reward and high-effort/high-reward options. RESULTS The patients showed increased willingness to exert effort for rewards during the DLPFC facilitated session, compared with the sham session. They also had a trend in larger P3 amplitude for motivated attention toward chosen options, larger CNV during preparing for effort exertion, and larger SPN during anticipating a high reward. Besides, while behavior indexes for effortful choices were negatively related to depression severity in the sham session, this correlation was weakened in the active stimulation session. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide behavioral, computational, and neural evidence for the left DLPFC on effortful motivation for rewards. Facilitated DLPFC improves motor preparation and value anticipation after making decisions especially for highly effortful rewards in MDD. Facilitated DLPFC also has a potential function in enhancing motivated attention during cost-benefit trade-off. This neuromodulation effect provides a potential treatment for improving motivation in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Bi
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yanli Zhao
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Sijin Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shuping Tan
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing 100096, China.
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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Harmon-Jones E, Matis S, Angus DJ, Harmon-Jones C. Does effort increase or decrease reward valuation? Considerations from cognitive dissonance theory. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14536. [PMID: 38323360 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14536] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The present research tested the effect of manipulated perceived control (over obtaining the outcomes) and effort on reward valuation using the event-related potential known as the Reward Positivity (RewP). This test was conducted in an attempt to integrate two research literatures with opposite findings: Effort justification occurs when high effort leads to high reward valuation, whereas effort discounting occurs when high effort leads to low reward valuation. Based on an examination of past methods used in these literatures, we predicted that perceived control and effort would interactively influence RewP. Consistent with the effort justification literature (cognitive dissonance theory), when individuals have high perceived control, high effort should lead to more reward valuation than low effort should. Consistent with the effort discounting literature, when individuals have low perceived control, low effort should lead to more reward valuation than high effort should. Results supported these interactive and integrative predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddie Harmon-Jones
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sophie Matis
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Douglas J Angus
- School of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Cindy Harmon-Jones
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Brassard SL, Liu H, Dosanjh J, MacKillop J, Balodis I. Neurobiological foundations and clinical relevance of effort-based decision-making. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00890-x. [PMID: 38819540 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00890-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Applying effort-based decision-making tasks provides insights into specific variables influencing choice behaviors. The current review summarizes the structural and functional neuroanatomy of effort-based decision-making. Across 39 examined studies, the review highlights the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in forming reward-based predictions, the ventral striatum encoding expected subjective values driven by reward size, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex for monitoring choices to maximize rewards, and specific motor areas preparing for effort expenditure. Neuromodulation techniques, along with shifting environmental and internal states, are promising novel treatment interventions for altering neural alterations underlying decision-making. Our review further articulates the translational promise of this construct into the development, maintenance and treatment of psychiatric conditions, particularly those characterized by reward-, effort- and valuation-related deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Brassard
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Hanson Liu
- Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jadyn Dosanjh
- Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Iris Balodis
- Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
- Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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4
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Wen H, Wu M, Wang Z, Gao B, Zheng Y. Aberrant effort-based reward dynamics in anhedonia. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae193. [PMID: 38741268 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae193] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Anhedonia is a transdiagnostic symptom and associated with a spectrum of reward deficits among which the motivational dysfunction is poorly understood. Previous studies have established the abnormal cost-benefit trade-off as a contributor to motivational deficits in anhedonia and its relevant psychiatric diseases. However, it remains elusive how the anhedonic neural dynamics underlying reward processing are modulated by effort expenditure. Using an effort-based monetary incentive delay task, the current event-related potential study examined the neural dynamics underlying the effort-reward interplay in anhedonia using a nonclinical sample who scored high or low on an anhedonia questionnaire. We found that effort prospectively decreased reward effect on the contingent variation negativity and the target-P3 but retrospectively enhanced outcome effect on the feedback-P3 following effort expenditure. Compared to the low-anhedonia group, the high-anhedonia group displayed a diminished effort effect on the target-P3 during effort expenditure and an increased effort-enhancement effect for neutral trials during the feedback-P3 period following effort expenditure. Our findings suggest that anhedonia is associated with an inefficient control and motivation allocation along the efforted-based reward dynamics from effort preparation to effort production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailing Wen
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Menglin Wu
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Sistiaga S, Tseng WL, Zhang L, Rossignol M, Bellaert N. How are irritability and anhedonia symptoms linked? A network approach. J Clin Psychol 2024. [PMID: 38497904 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anhedonia and irritability are two prevalent symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) that predict greater depression severity and poor outcomes, including suicidality. Although both symptoms have been proposed to result from paradoxical reward processing dysfunctions, the interactions between these symptoms remain unclear. Anhedonia is a multifaceted symptom reflecting impairments in multiple dimensions of reward processing (e.g., pleasure, desire, motivation, and effort) across distinct reward types (e.g., food, sensory experiences, social activities, hobbies) that may differentially interact with irritability. This study investigated the complex associations between anhedonia and irritability using network analysis. METHOD Participants (N = 448, Mage = 33.29, SD = 14.58) reported their symptoms of irritability on the Brief Irritability Test (Holtzman et al., 2015) and anhedonia (i.e., pleasure, desire, motivation, and effort dimensions across four reward types) on the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (Rizvi et al., 2015). A regularized Gaussian Graphical Model was built to estimate the network structure between items. RESULTS Irritability was negatively related to willingness to expand effort to obtain food/drinks (estimate = -0.18), social activities (-0.13), and hobbies (-0.12) rewards. Irritability was positively associated with a desire for food/drinks (0.12). LIMITATIONS Only a small proportion (5.8%) of our sample was clinical and the study design was cross-sectional. CONCLUSION A specific link between irritability and the effort dimension of the hedonic response across three reward types was identified. Investigating effort expenditure deficits with experimental paradigms may help us understand the mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between irritability and anhedonia in the context of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Sistiaga
- Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology Department, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Wan-Ling Tseng
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lanting Zhang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mandy Rossignol
- Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology Department, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Nellia Bellaert
- Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology Department, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
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Li J, Zhong B, Li M, Sun Y, Fan W, Liu S. Effort expenditure modulates feedback evaluations involving self-other agreement: evidence from brain potentials and neural oscillations. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae095. [PMID: 38517174 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae095] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The influence of effort expenditure on the subjective value in feedback involving material reward has been the focus of previous research. However, little is known about the impact of effort expenditure on subjective value evaluations when feedback involves reward that is produced in the context of social interaction (e.g. self-other agreement). Moreover, how effort expenditure influences confidence (second-order subjective value) in feedback evaluations remains unclear. Using electroencephalography, this study aimed to address these questions. Event-related potentials showed that, after exerting high effort, participants exhibited increased reward positivity difference in response to self-other (dis)agreement feedback. After exerting low effort, participants reported high confidence, and the self-other disagreement feedback evoked a larger P3a. Time-frequency analysis showed that the high-effort task evoked increased frontal midline theta power. In the low (vs. high)-effort task, the frontal midline delta power for self-other disagreement feedback was enhanced. These findings suggest that, at the early feedback evaluation stage, after exerting high effort, individuals exhibit an increased sensitivity of subjective value evaluation in response to self-other agreement feedback. At the later feedback evaluation stage, after completing the low-effort task, the self-other disagreement feedback violates the individuals'high confidence and leads to a metacognitive mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Li
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha 410081, China
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Bowei Zhong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Mei Li
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yu Sun
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Wei Fan
- Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha 410081, China
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Shuangxi Liu
- College of Aerospace Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410003, China
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Zheng Y, Zhang M, Wu M. Effort discounts reward-based control allocation: A neurodynamic perspective. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14451. [PMID: 37789510 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The amount of cognitive and neural resources allocated to a task is largely determined by the reward we can expect. However, it remains under-appreciated how this reward-expectation-based control allocation is modulated by effort expenditure. The present event-related potential study investigated this issue through the lens of neural dynamics. Thirty-four participants completed an effort-based monetary incentive delay task while their EEG was recorded. Effort demand was manipulated by adding no (low effort) or much (high effort) noise to the target. Behaviorally, participants exhibited reward-related speeding regardless of effort expenditure, as revealed by faster RTs for reward than neutral trials. Our ERP results demonstrated a widespread facilitatory influence of reward expectation on neural dynamics extending from cue evaluation as indexed by the cue-P3, to control preparation as indexed by the contingent negative variation (CNV), and finally to control engagement as indexed by the target-P3. Critically, the neural facilitation was discounted by effort expenditure during both the control-preparation and control-engagement stages instead of the cue-evaluation stage. Overall, this study provides neurodynamic evidence that control allocation is determined by reward and effort via a cost-benefit analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mang Zhang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Menglin Wu
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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8
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Jiang H, Zheng Y. Dissociable neural after-effects of cognitive and physical effort expenditure during reward evaluation. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:1500-1512. [PMID: 37821754 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01131-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The reward after-effect of effort expenditure refers to the phenomenon that previous effort investment changes the subjective value of rewards when obtained. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the after-effects of effort exertion are still not fully understood. We investigated the modulation of reward after-effects by effort type (cognitive vs. physical) through the lens of neural dynamics. Thirty-two participants performed a physically or cognitively demanding task during an effort phase and then played a simple gambling game during a subsequent reward phase to earn monetary rewards while their electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. We found that previous effort expenditure decreased electrocortical activity during feedback evaluation. Importantly, this effort effect occurred in a domain-general manner during the early stage (as indexed by the reward positivity) but in a domain-specific manner during the later and more elaborative stage (as indexed by the P3 and delta oscillation) of reward evaluation. Additionally, effort expenditure enhanced P3 sensitivity to feedback valence regardless of effort type. Our findings suggest that cognitive and physical effort, although bearing some surface resemblance to each other, may have dissociable neural influences on the reward after-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiping Jiang
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Varma MM, Zhen S, Yu R. Not all discounts are created equal: Regional activity and brain networks in temporal and effort discounting. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120363. [PMID: 37673412 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120363] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Reward outcomes associated with costs like time delay and effort investment are generally discounted in decision-making. Standard economic models predict rewards associated with different types of costs are devalued in a similar manner. However, our review of rodent lesion studies indicated partial dissociations between brain regions supporting temporal- and effort-based decision-making. Another debate is whether options involving low and high costs are processed in different brain substrates (dual-system) or in the same regions (single-system). This research addressed these issues using coordinate-based, connectivity-based, and activation network-based meta-analyses to identify overlapping and separable neural systems supporting temporal (39 studies) and effort (20 studies) discounting. Coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation and resting-state connectivity analyses showed immediate-small reward and delayed-large reward choices engaged distinct regions with unique connectivity profiles, but their activation network mapping was found to engage the default mode network. For effort discounting, salience and sensorimotor networks supported low-effort choices, while the frontoparietal network supported high-effort choices. There was little overlap between the temporal and effort networks. Our findings underscore the importance of differentiating different types of costs in decision-making and understanding discounting at both regional and network levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohith M Varma
- Department of Management, Marketing, and Information Systems, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shanshan Zhen
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Rongjun Yu
- Department of Management, Marketing, and Information Systems, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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Donegan CJ, Daldegan-Bueno D, Sumner R, Menkes D, Evans W, Hoeh N, Sundram F, Reynolds L, Ponton R, Cavadino A, Smith T, Roop P, Allen N, Abeysinghe B, Svirskis D, Forsyth A, Bansal M, Muthukumaraswamy S. An open-label pilot trial assessing tolerability and feasibility of LSD microdosing in patients with major depressive disorder (LSDDEP1). Pilot Feasibility Stud 2023; 9:169. [PMID: 37798662 PMCID: PMC10552250 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-023-01399-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, an estimated 260 million people suffer from depression [1], and there is a clear need for the development of new, alternative antidepressant therapies. In light of problems with the tolerability and efficacy of available treatments [2], a global trend is emerging for patients to self-treat depression with microdoses of psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin [3]. Beyond anecdotal reports from those who self-medicate in this way, few clinical trials have evaluated this practice. In our recently published phase 1 study in healthy volunteers [4], we determined that LSD microdosing was relatively safe and well tolerated in that cohort. Furthermore, the data demonstrated that conducting such microdosing trials is broadly feasible, with excellent adherence and compliance to the regimen observed. In this open-label pilot trial of patients with major depressive disorder (LSDDEP1), we will test the tolerability and feasibility of an 8-week regimen of LSD microdosing in this patient group prior to a larger subsequent randomised controlled trial (LSDDEP2). METHODS Twenty patients meeting the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder will receive an 8-week LSD microdosing treatment regimen. The treatment protocol will use a sublingual formulation of LSD (MB-22001) delivered twice per week under a titration schedule using a dose of 5-15 µg. Tolerability will be assessed by quantifying the percentage of participants who withdraw from the trial due to adverse events attributable to the treatment regimen, while feasibility will be assessed by quantifying the percentage of attended clinic visits once enrolled. To determine whether there is any antidepressant response to the LSD microdosing regimen, MADRS scores will be assessed at baseline and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after the commencement of the regimen. DISCUSSION The results of LSDDEP1 will provide valuable information regarding the tolerability and feasibility of a proposed LSD microdosing regimen in patients with MDD. Such information is critically important to optimise trial design prior to commencing a subsequent and more resource-intensive randomised controlled trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION ANZCTR, ACTRN12623000486628. Registered on 12 May 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Joy Donegan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Rachael Sumner
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - David Menkes
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Waikato, Clinical Campus, University of Auckland, Pembroke Street, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - William Evans
- Mana Health, 7 Ruskin St, Parnell, Auckland, 1052, New Zealand
| | - Nicholas Hoeh
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Frederick Sundram
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Lisa Reynolds
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Rhys Ponton
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Alana Cavadino
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Todd Smith
- Te Whatu Ora, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Partha Roop
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Nathan Allen
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Binu Abeysinghe
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Darren Svirskis
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Anna Forsyth
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Mahima Bansal
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Suresh Muthukumaraswamy
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
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11
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Bowyer CB, Brush C, Patrick CJ, Hajcak G. Effort and Appetitive Responding in Depression: Examining Deficits in Motivational and Consummatory Stages of Reward Processing Using the Effort-Doors Task. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:1073-1082. [PMID: 37881575 PMCID: PMC10593868 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reward sensitivity is a dimensional construct central to understanding the nature of depression. Psychophysiological research on this construct has primarily focused on the reward positivity, an event-related potential (ERP) that indexes consummatory reward sensitivity. This study extended prior research by focusing on ERPs that index the motivational component of reward. Methods A novel effort-for-reward task was used to elicit motivational and consummatory ERPs. Groups consisting of 34 participants with depression and 32 participants without depression were compared across a range of reward-related ERPs. Results Participants with depression exhibited reduced responsivity to effort completion cues following high effort expenditure, reduced anticipation of rewards after low effort expenditure (i.e., the stimulus preceding negativity), and reduced reward positivity following high effort expenditure. ERPs occurring prior to reward receipt accounted for unique variance in depression status and differentiated between subgroups of depressed individuals. Conclusions Findings support the utility of leveraging multiple ERPs that index separate reward processing deficits to better characterize depression and depressive subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C.J. Brush
- Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | | | - Greg Hajcak
- Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
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12
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Expending effort may share neural responses with reward and evokes high subjective satisfaction. Biol Psychol 2023; 177:108480. [PMID: 36603735 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108480] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Throughout our daily lives, the levels of effort we invest in various tasks are influenced by reward processing. The subjective expectation after expending effort is a primary factor affecting reward processing. However, recent studies indicate that individual differences in reward anticipation influence this subjective valuation. To better understand the relationship between effort expenditure and the subjective valuation of rewards, in this study, we perform an experiment in which we manipulate effort, control reward expectation implicitly, and measure the subjective valuation of rewards using event-related potentials (ERPs) and physical effort through behavioral measures (number of keystrokes). In the reward-task paradigm, 30 subjects performed effort and control trials, with the reward probability comparable across the effort and control conditions. We also examined the ERPs associated with the valuation of subjective rewards, including reward positivity (RewP) and set reward expectation controlled as the baseline. The results showed that the ERP amplitudes, the number of keystrokes, and explicit satisfaction ratings were all significantly greater in the effort condition than in the control condition. The participants maintained high levels of effort throughout the sessions associated with the experiment. The results of this study suggest that when reward expectations are controlled, effort expenditure evokes neural responses similar to reward feedback being given, which is linked with increased subjective satisfaction.
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Klawohn J, Joyner K, Santopetro N, Brush CJ, Hajcak G. Depression reduces neural correlates of reward salience with increasing effort over the course of the progressive ratio task. J Affect Disord 2022; 307:294-300. [PMID: 35339572 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive disorders have been associated with altered effort-cost decision making (ECDM) in behavioral investigations, such as a decreased willingness to expend effort for reward attainment. However, little is known about neural mechanisms implicated in altered ECDM. METHODS The study investigates neural correlates of reward attainment during a progressive ratio task in participants with a current depressive disorder (n = 65) and never-depressed healthy individuals (n = 44). On each trial, participants completed an increasing number of button presses to attain a fixed monetary reward, indicated by an auditory reward signal. Participants could decide to quit the task anytime (breakpoint). EEG was recorded during the task and P300 amplitudes were examined in response to the auditory signal of reward attainment. RESULTS There was no difference in breakpoint, as both groups completed comparable numbers of button presses. In contrast, results from mixed-effects models of trial-level ERP responses indicated depression-related effects on P300 amplitudes over the course of the task. Generally, the reward-locked P300 increased with ascending effort expenditure; however, compared to healthy participants, individuals with current depression were characterized by an attenuated trajectory of the reward-locked P300, pointing towards decreased reactivity to reward attainment with increasing effort. LIMITATIONS Sample size and reward magnitude were possibly not large enough to detect differences in breakpoint. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study demonstrate that the investigation of reward-related P300 trajectory may represent an informative novel addition to the progressive ratio task, which could help shed light on depression-related alterations in motivation and ECDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Klawohn
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA; Department of Medicine, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Keanan Joyner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - C J Brush
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
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14
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Sellitto M, Terenzi D, Starita F, di Pellegrino G, Battaglia S. The Cost of Imagined Actions in a Reward-Valuation Task. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050582. [PMID: 35624971 PMCID: PMC9139426 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that humans and other animals assign value to a stimulus based not only on its inherent rewarding properties, but also on the costs of the action required to obtain it, such as the cost of time. Here, we examined whether such cost also occurs for mentally simulated actions. Healthy volunteers indicated their subjective value for snack foods while the time to imagine performing the action to obtain the different stimuli was manipulated. In each trial, the picture of one food item and a home position connected through a path were displayed on a computer screen. The path could be either large or thin. Participants first rated the stimulus, and then imagined moving the mouse cursor along the path from the starting position to the food location. They reported the onset and offset of the imagined movements with a button press. Two main results emerged. First, imagery times were significantly longer for the thin than the large path. Second, participants liked significantly less the snack foods associated with the thin path (i.e., with longer imagery time), possibly because the passage of time strictly associated with action imagery discounts the value of the reward. Importantly, such effects were absent in a control group of participants who performed an identical valuation task, except that no action imagery was required. Our findings hint at the idea that imagined actions, like real actions, carry a cost that affects deeply how people assign value to the stimuli in their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Sellitto
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.S.); (F.S.)
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2AS, UK
| | - Damiano Terenzi
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), 14558 Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany;
- Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Neuroscience Research Center, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Francesca Starita
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.S.); (F.S.)
| | - Giuseppe di Pellegrino
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.S.); (F.S.)
- Correspondence: (G.d.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.S.); (F.S.)
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2AS, UK
- Correspondence: (G.d.P.); (S.B.)
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15
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Zhang M, Zheng Y. Neural dynamics of effort-modulated reward processing. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14070. [PMID: 35415931 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have established that effort can either decrease reward value as a cost or increase reward value as an augmenter, which is referred to as the effort paradox. The present event-related potential study investigated the neural dynamics underlying the modulation of reward processing by effort expenditure. Thirty-two participants completed a modified monetary incentive delay task in a high-effort context and a low-effort context to earn monetary rewards while their EEG was recorded during effort anticipation, effort execution, and effort completion, respectively. Results revealed the multiphase nature of the effort-reward relationship, which unfolds over time. During effort anticipation, effort discounts reward value as reflected by a reduced contingent negative variation for high- versus low-effort trials. During effort exertion, the target-P3 reward effect was accrued by effort expenditure. Finally, effort also provides its own value following effort completion, as revealed by an enhanced stimulus-preceding negativity for high-effort relative to low-effort trials. These findings provide new insights into the relationship between effort expenditure and reward processing and are helpful to mitigate the effort paradox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mang Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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16
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Bogdanov M, Renault H, LoParco S, Weinberg A, Otto AR. Cognitive Effort Exertion Enhances Electrophysiological Responses to Rewarding Outcomes. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4255-4270. [PMID: 35169838 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent work has highlighted neural mechanisms underlying cognitive effort-related discounting of anticipated rewards. However, findings on whether effort exertion alters the subjective value of obtained rewards are inconsistent. Here, we provide a more nuanced account of how cognitive effort affects subsequent reward processing in a novel task designed to assess effort-induced modulations of the Reward Positivity, an event-related potential indexing reward-related neural activity. We found that neural responses to both gains and losses were significantly elevated in trials requiring more versus less cognitive effort. Moreover, time-frequency analysis revealed that these effects were mirrored in gain-related delta, but not in loss-related theta band activity, suggesting that people ascribed more value to high-effort outcomes. In addition, we also explored whether individual differences in behavioral effort discounting rates and reward sensitivity in the absence of effort may affect the relationship between effort exertion and subsequent reward processing. Together, our findings provide evidence that cognitive effort exertion can increase the subjective value of subsequent outcomes and that this effect may primarily rely on modulations of delta band activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Bogdanov
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Héléna Renault
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Sophia LoParco
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Anthony Ross Otto
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
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17
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Early and late signals of unexpected reward contribute to low extraversion and high disinhibition, respectively. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 4:e5. [PMID: 34909564 PMCID: PMC8645529 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2021.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Like socio-economic status and cognitive abilities, personality traits predict important life outcomes. Traits that reflect unusually low or high approach motivations, such as low extraversion and high disinhibition, are linked to various forms of mental disorder. Similarly, the dopamine system is theoretically linked to approach motivation traits and to various forms of mental disorder. Identifying neural contributions to extremes of such traits should map to neural sources of psychopathology, with dopamine a prime candidate. Notably, dopamine cells fire in response to unexpected reward, which suggests that the size of non-invasive, scalp-recorded potentials evoked by unexpected reward could reflect sensitivity in approach motivation traits. Here, we evaluated the validity of evoked electroencephalography (EEG) responses to unexpected reward in a monetary gain/loss task to assess approach motivation traits in 137 participants, oversampled for externalizing psychopathology symptoms. We demonstrated that over the 0–400 ms period in which feedback on the outcome was presented, responses evoked by unexpected reward contributed to all theoretically relevant approach motivation trait domains (disinhibition, extraversion and the behavioural activation system); and did so only at times when dopamine responses normally peak and reportedly code salience (70–100 ms) and valuation (200–300 ms). In particular, we linked “dopaminergic” salience and valuation to the psychopathology-related constructs of low extraversion (social anxiety) and high disinhibition (impulsivity) respectively, making the evoked potential components biomarker candidates for indexing aberrant processing of unexpected reward.
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Garrido-Chaves R, Perez V, Perez-Alarcón M, Crespo-Sanmiguel I, Paiva TO, Hidalgo V, Pulopulos MM, Salvador A. Subjective Memory Complaints and Decision Making in Young and Older Adults: An Event-Related Potential Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:695275. [PMID: 34803649 PMCID: PMC8595984 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.695275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) may affect decision-making processes. This study aimed to investigate the neuronal correlates of feedback processing during a decision-making task in young and older adults with and without SMCs. Event-related potentials and behavioral performance during the Iowa gambling task were recorded in a total of 136 participants (65 young adults, 71 older adults). The participants were divided into two groups according to their SMCs (with SMCs: n = 60, without SMCs: n = 76). Feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P3 were analyzed in the feedback stage of the decision-making process. Older adults with SMCs scored worse in the ambiguity phase than older adults without SMCs. The FRN latency was longer for losses in older people with SMCs than in older people without SMCs in the first block. No significant differences between young and older adults with and without SMCs were observed in the other ERP measures. Compared to young adults, older adults showed delayed latency in the FRN component and reduced amplitudes and delayed latency in the P3 component. In conclusion, older people with SMCs present deficits in the decision-making process. These deficits are observed at the behavioral level, but also in neural mechanisms of early feedback processing of negative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Garrido-Chaves
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vanesa Perez
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mario Perez-Alarcón
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel Crespo-Sanmiguel
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Tiago O Paiva
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vanesa Hidalgo
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - Matias M Pulopulos
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Psychology and Sociology, Area of Psychobiology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
| | - Alicia Salvador
- Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychobiology, IDOCAL, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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