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Kujawa A. Reduced reward responsiveness and depression vulnerability: Consideration of social contexts and implications for intervention. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14528. [PMID: 38263892 PMCID: PMC11096075 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14528] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Depression is a prevalent, heterogeneous, and debilitating disorder that often emerges in adolescence, and there is a need to better understand vulnerability processes to inform more targeted intervention efforts. Psychophysiological methods, like event-related potentials (ERPs), can offer unique insights into the cognitive and emotional processes underlying depression vulnerability. I review my and others' research examining ERP measures of reward responsiveness in youth depression and present a conceptual model of the development of low reward responsiveness, its role in depression vulnerability, and potential windows for targeted intervention. There is evidence that a blunted reward positivity (RewP) is observable in children at risk for depression, appears to be shaped in part by early social experiences, and predicts later depressive symptoms in combination with other risk factors like stress exposure. Further, a component consistent with RewP is reliably elicited in response to social acceptance feedback in computerized peer interaction tasks and demonstrates unique associations with social contextual factors and depressive symptoms, supporting the utility of developing psychophysiological tasks that may better capture youths' real-world experiences and social risk processes. In addition, I address the translational implications of clinical psychophysiological research and describe a series of studies showing that a reduced RewP predicts greater reductions in depressive symptoms with treatment but is not modifiable by current treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy. Finally, I describe our preliminary efforts to develop a positive emotion-focused intervention for the offspring of depressed mothers, informed by the RewP literature, and describe future directions for translating psychophysiological research to intervention and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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2
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Hall AF, Browning M, Huys QJM. The computational structure of consummatory anhedonia. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:541-553. [PMID: 38423829 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Anhedonia is a reduction in enjoyment, motivation, or interest. It is common across mental health disorders and a harbinger of poor treatment outcomes. The enjoyment aspect, termed 'consummatory anhedonia', in particular poses fundamental questions about how the brain constructs rewards: what processes determine how intensely a reward is experienced? Here, we outline limitations of existing computational conceptualisations of consummatory anhedonia. We then suggest a richer reinforcement learning (RL) account of consummatory anhedonia with a reconceptualisation of subjective hedonic experience in terms of goal progress. This accounts qualitatively for the impact of stress, dysfunctional cognitions, and maladaptive beliefs on hedonic experience. The model also offers new views on the treatments for anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna F Hall
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry and Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Browning
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health NHS Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Quentin J M Huys
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry and Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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3
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Szenczy AK, Adams EM, Hawes MT, Anatala J, Gair K, Klein DN, Hajcak G, Nelson BD. Childhood anhedonia symptoms and stressful life events predict the development of reward-related brain activity across adolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38757405 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The reward positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential that indexes reinforcement learning and reward system activation. The RewP has been shown to increase across adolescence; however, most studies have examined the RewP across two assessments, and no studies have examined within-person changes across adolescence into young adulthood. Moreover, the RewP has been identified as a neurobiological risk factor for adolescent-onset depression, but it is unclear whether childhood psychosocial risk factors might predict RewP development across adolescence. In a sample of 317 8- to 14-year-old girls (Mage = 12.4, SD = 1.8), the present study examined self-report measures of depression symptoms and stressful life events at baseline and the ΔRewP during the doors guessing task across three timepoints. Growth modeling indicated that, across all participants, the ΔRewP did not demonstrate linear change across adolescence. However, baseline anhedonia symptoms predicted within-person changes in the ΔRewP, such that individuals with low anhedonia symptoms demonstrated a linear increase in the ΔRewP, but individuals with high anhedonia symptoms had no change in the ΔRewP across adolescence. Similar patterns were observed for stressful life events. The present study suggests that childhood risk factors impact the development of reward-related brain activity, which might subsequently increase risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Szenczy
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - E M Adams
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - M T Hawes
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - J Anatala
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - K Gair
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - D N Klein
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - G Hajcak
- Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - B D Nelson
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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4
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Guo W, Ma Q, Zhang F, Li K, Yi Q. An Effect of Chronic Negative Stress on Hippocampal Structures and Functional Connectivity in Patients with Depressive Disorder. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2024; 20:1011-1024. [PMID: 38764745 PMCID: PMC11102123 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s460429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Depressive disorder is a mental health disorder with complicated etiopathogenesis. Environmental stress and neurodevelopment combined with other factors contribute to the occurrence of depression. Especially for the depressive disorder with chronic negative stress, it has characteristics of recurrence and poor curative effect because of unclear mechanism. Here, we investigated the hippocampal structures and functional connectivity (FC) according to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with depression who underwent chronic negative stress. Patients and Methods A total of 65 patients with depression (34 underwent chronic negative stress and 31 non-underwent chronic negative stress) and 30 healthy controls who did not undergo chronic negative stress were included in the study. The volumes of hippocampal subfields, seed-based FCs between hippocampus and the whole brain voxels, and ROI-wise-based FC between hippocampal subfields were compared among the three groups. Results In the patients with depression who underwent chronic negative stress, the volumes of right_GC-ML-DG-head, right_CA4-head and right_CA3-head increased, FCs between Temporal_Mid_R, Precuneus_R, Frontal_Sup_R, Temporal_Sup_R, Angular_L, Frontal_Inf_Tri_R, Supp_Motor_Area_R, Precentral_L and hippocampus increased, and FCs between parasubiculum and CA3, and presubiculum and CA1 decreased. When compared to the patients who did not undergo chronic negative stress, the patients who underwent chronic negative stress had larger volumes of right_GC-ML-DG-head and right_CA3-head, higher FCs between Frontal_Sup_R, Frontal_Inf_Tri_R and hippocampus, and lower FCs between presubiculum and CA1. Conclusion The depression underwent chronic negative stress may experience disrupted hippocampal structures and functional connectivity. It may be one of potential depressive disorder subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunshu Zhang
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wentao Guo
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qi Ma
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
- Xinjiang Clinical Research Center for Mental (Psychological) Disorder, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keqing Li
- Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Baoding, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qizhong Yi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
- Xinjiang Clinical Research Center for Mental (Psychological) Disorder, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
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Pegg S, Kujawa A. The effects of stress on reward responsiveness: a systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis of the event-related potential literature. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:42-59. [PMID: 38093157 PMCID: PMC10872339 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01143-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to stressful events is associated with a range of negative physical and mental health outcomes, including depression. It is critical to understand the mechanisms through which stress impacts mental health to identify promising targets for prevention and intervention efforts. Low-reward responsiveness is thought to be a mechanism of effects of stress on negative health outcomes and can be reliably measured at the neurophysiological level by using event-related potentials (ERPs), such as the reward positivity (RewP) component. The goal of this systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis was to examine evidence of associations between stress and alterations in reward responsiveness measured using ERPs. Through a systematic review of the literature, 23 studies examining the effects of laboratory-induced stressors and naturalistic stressors or perceived stress on reward responsiveness met study criteria, 13 of which were included in the meta-analysis. Most studies were conducted in undergraduate and community samples, with three selected for specific conditions, and primarily in adults. The systematic review supported evidence of associations between laboratory-induced stressors and blunted reward responsiveness as measured by the RewP but there were more mixed results when considering direct associations between naturalistic stressors/perceived stress and reward-related ERPs. Given that all studies examined the RewP, the meta-analysis focused on this component and indicated that there was a weak, nonsignificant negative association between stress and RewP. Results emphasize the complex nature of relations between stress and reward-related ERPs and the need to consider alternative models in future research. We also provide reporting recommendations for ERP researchers to facilitate future meta-analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College #552, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203-5721, USA.
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College #552, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203-5721, USA
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Duttweiler H, Granros M, Sheena M, Burkhouse KL. Neural reward responsiveness and daily positive affect functioning in adolescent girls. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 195:112278. [PMID: 38065410 PMCID: PMC10863647 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112278] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2023]
Abstract
Deficits in reward processing have been implicated in the development of many forms of psychopathology, especially major depressive disorder (MDD). One facet of reward processing, known as reward responsivity, has been associated with the development and maintenance of depression across development. The reward positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential derived from electroencephalogram (EEG), which is thought to reflect reward responsivity. An attenuated RewP has been observed in both currently depressed individuals and youth at risk for depression, suggesting it may represent a biomarker of depression. Despite this, little is known about how the RewP translates to behavior and affect in the real world. In the current study, we examined how the RewP relates to real world emotional functioning, measured using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Thirty-eight female adolescents (ages 11-16, Mage = 13.9 years) participated in the study; approximately half of the sample were considered high risk due to maternal lifetime history of MDD. Adolescents completed a monetary reward task while EEG was recorded, followed by a 10-day period of EMA assessing daily affect and emotion regulation strategy use following positive events. Results revealed that the RewP was positively associated with subjective reports of positive, but not negative, daily affect. Results also revealed that the RewP was positively associated with focusing on positive feelings following a positive event (e.g., savoring). Findings from this preliminary study highlight how neural responses to reward in the lab relate to daily life emotional functioning, supporting the RewP as an ecologically valid marker of positive affect functioning among youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Duttweiler
- The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, United States of America
| | - Maria Granros
- University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America
| | - Michelle Sheena
- University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America
| | - Katie L Burkhouse
- The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, United States of America; The Ohio State University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, United States of America.
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Rappaport BI, Kujawa A, Arfer KB, Pegg S, Kelly D, Jackson JJ, Luby JL, Barch DM. Behavioral and psychiatric correlates of brain responses to social feedback. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14413. [PMID: 37612834 PMCID: PMC10841166 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptive responses to peer acceptance and rejection arise in numerous psychiatric disorders in adolescence; yet, homogeneity and heterogeneity across disorders suggest common and unique mechanisms of impaired social function. We tested the hypothesis that social feedback is processed similarly to other forms of feedback (e.g., monetary) by examining the correspondence between the brain's response to social acceptance and rejection and behavioral performance on a separate reward and loss task. We also examined the relationship between these brain responses and depression and social anxiety severity. The sample consisted of one hundred and thirteen 16-21-year olds who received virtual peer acceptance/rejection feedback in an event-related potential (ERP) task. We used temporospatial principal component analysis and identified a component consistent with the reward positivity (RewP) or feedback negativity (FN). RewP to social acceptance was not significantly related to reward bias or the FN to social rejection related to loss avoidance. The relationship between RewP and depression severity, while nonsignificant, was of a similar magnitude to prior studies. Exploratory analyses yielded a significant relationship between lower socioeconomic status (SES) and blunted RewP and between lower SES and heightened loss avoidance and blunted reward bias. These findings build on prior work to improve our understanding of the function of the brain's response to social feedback, while also suggesting a pathway for further study, whereby poverty leads to depression via social and reward learning mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology & Human Development Vanderbilt University
| | | | - Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology & Human Development Vanderbilt University
| | - Danielle Kelly
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
| | | | - Joan L. Luby
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Psychological & Brain Science Washington University in St. Louis
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
- Department of Radiology School of Medicine Washington University in St. Louis
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Renault H, Freeman C, Banica I, Sandre A, Ethridge P, Park J, Weinberg A. Neural response to rewards moderates the within-person association between daily positive events and positive affect during a period of stress exposure. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14376. [PMID: 37430465 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Stress and neural responses to reward can interact to predict psychopathology, but the mechanisms of this interaction are unclear. One possibility is that the strength of neural responses to reward can affect the ability to maintain positive affect during stress. In this study, 105 participants completed a monetary reward task to elicit the reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential sensitive to rewards. Subsequently, during a stressful period, participants reported on their affect nine times a day and on daily positive and negative events for 10 days. Even during heightened stress, experiencing more positive events was associated with increased positive affect. The RewP significantly moderated this association: Individuals with a larger RewP reported greater increases in positive affect when they experienced more positive events, relative to individuals with a smaller RewP. A blunted RewP might contribute to stress susceptibility by affecting how much individuals engage in positive emotion regulation during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héléna Renault
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Clara Freeman
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Iulia Banica
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aislinn Sandre
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paige Ethridge
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Juhyun Park
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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9
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Tan JXY, Liu P. Beyond the RewP: The reward feedback-elicited LPP and its potential associations with perceived stress and internalizing symptoms in late childhood. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 193:112237. [PMID: 37625596 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Internalizing problems increase substantially during late childhood and early adolescence, which are known to be associated with elevated perceived stress as children transition into adolescence. One risk factor that may moderate the stress-symptom association is reward processing. While neurophysiological research in this field has focused on the reward positivity component (RewP) elicited during reward processing, little work has examined the reward feedback-elicited late positive potential (LPP) and its association with internalizing psychopathology. The present study examined the moderating roles of the RewP and feedback-elicited LPP in the relationship between perceived stress and internalizing symptoms in late childhood. A community sample of 115 nine-to-12-year-old children (66 girls, Mean age = 11.00 years, SD = 1.16) completed an EEG version of the reward feedback paradigm, the Doors task, and completed questionnaires on perceived stress and internalizing symptoms. A principal component analysis revealed three temporo-spatial factors that were temporally and spatially analogous to the RewP, anterior LPP, and posterior LPP, respectively. As expected, an enlarged RewP was found towards the win condition compared to the loss condition. We also observed a potentiated LPP towards loss relative to win feedback, which may reflect the evaluation and reappraisal processes following unsuccessful performance (i.e., loss). We did not, however, find significant moderating effects of any ERP components on the stress-symptom association. Our study was first to isolate the feedback-elicited LPP in a reward processing paradigm in children and provide initial evidence on the modulation of the ERP component by task conditions. Future research is warranted to further explore the functional significance of the reward feedback-elicited LPP in association with perceived stress and internalizing psychopathology in youths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaron X Y Tan
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience, North Dakota State University, United States of America.
| | - Pan Liu
- Department of Psychology, Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience, North Dakota State University, United States of America
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Hill KE, Pegg S, Dao A, Boldwyn E, Dickey L, Venanzi L, Argiros A, Kujawa A. Characterizing positive and negative valence systems function in adolescent depression: An RDoC-informed approach integrating multiple neural measures. JOURNAL OF MOOD AND ANXIETY DISORDERS 2023; 3:100025. [PMID: 37982056 PMCID: PMC10655891 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a prevalent, debilitating, and costly disorder that often manifests in adolescence. There is an urgent need to understand core pathophysiological processes for depression to inform more targeted intervention efforts. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Positive Valence Systems (PVS) and Negative Valence Systems (NVS) have both been implicated in depression symptomatology and vulnerability; however, the nature of NVS alterations is unclear across studies, and associations between single neural measures and symptoms are often small in magnitude and inconsistent. The present study advances characterization of depression in adolescence via an innovative data-driven approach to identifying subgroups of PVS and NVS function by integrating multiple neural measures (assessed by electroencephalogram [EEG]) relevant to depression in adolescents oversampled for clinical depression and depression risk based on maternal history (N = 129; 14-17 years old). Results of the k-means cluster analysis supported a two-cluster solution wherein one cluster was characterized by relatively attenuated reward and emotion responsiveness across valences and the other by relatively intact responsiveness. Youth in the attenuated responsiveness cluster reported significantly greater depressive symptoms and were more likely to have major depressive disorder diagnoses than youth in the intact responsiveness cluster. In contrast, associations of individual neural measures with depressive symptoms were non-significant. The present study highlights the importance of innovative neuroscience approaches to characterize emotional processing in depression across domains, which is imperative to advancing the clinical utility of RDoC-informed research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylin E. Hill
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Anh Dao
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Emma Boldwyn
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Lindsay Dickey
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Lisa Venanzi
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Alexandra Argiros
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University,
USA
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Burkhouse KL, Dao A, Argiros A, Granros M, Cárdenas E, Dickey L, Feurer C, Hill K, Pegg S, Venanzi L, Kujawa A. Targeting positive valence systems function in children of mothers with depressive symptoms: A pilot randomized trial of an RDoC-Informed preventive intervention. Behav Res Ther 2023; 168:104384. [PMID: 37591042 PMCID: PMC10542884 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Reduced activation of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) positive valence systems (PVS) is observed in high-risk (HR) children of depressed mothers and predictive of future psychopathologies. We developed a dyadic, neuroscience-informed preventive intervention, Family Promoting Positive Emotions (FPPE), designed to prevent psychopathology in HR children by targeting PVS processes. We evaluated the initial efficacy of FPPE compared to written information (WI) psychoeducation in engaging PVS-related targets and reducing perceived stress and emotional distress symptoms in HR youth. Participants included 74 children ages 8-12 years and their biological mothers reporting elevated depressive symptoms. Following random assignment, 55 dyads completed FPPE (n = 29) or WI (n = 26) and pre-post assessments of child clinical symptoms. Youth completed a reinforcement learning task and 10 days of positive affect ratings to assess PVS-related targets. Results revealed a small within-subjects increase in child daily positive affect in FPPE, but not WI. Further, FPPE resulted in reductions in mother-reported child perceived stress and symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression with medium-to-large within-subjects effects. Intervention effects on reinforcement learning and child-rated clinical symptoms were not observed. This study suggests FPPE shows promise in enhancing positive affect and reducing the emergence of clinical symptoms in HR children. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT05223842.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L Burkhouse
- The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA; The Ohio State University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, USA
| | - Anh Dao
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Alexandra Argiros
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Maria Granros
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, USA
| | - Emilia Cárdenas
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Lindsay Dickey
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Cope Feurer
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, USA
| | - Kaylin Hill
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Samantha Pegg
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Lisa Venanzi
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, USA.
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Mackin DM, Goldstein BL, Mumper E, Kujawa A, Kessel EM, Olino TM, Nelson BD, Hajcak G, Klein DN. Longitudinal Associations Between Reward Responsiveness and Depression Across Adolescence. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 62:816-828. [PMID: 36764607 PMCID: PMC10313752 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lower neural response to reward predicts subsequent depression during adolescence. Both pubertal development and biological sex have important effects on reward system development and depression during this period. However, relations among these variables across the transition from childhood to adolescence are not well characterized. METHOD Depressive symptoms, pubertal status, and the reward positivity (RewP) event-related potential component, a neural indicator of reward responsivity, were assessed in 609 community-recruited youth at 9, 12, and 15 years of age. Structural equation modeling was used to examine concurrent and prospective relations within and between depression and reward responsiveness as well as the influence of pubertal status and biological sex on these variables across assessments. RESULTS Stability paths for depression, the RewP, and pubertal status were significant across assessments. Compared with male participants, female participants reported more advanced pubertal status at all assessments, a smaller RewP at age 9, and higher levels of depression at age 15. More advanced pubertal status was associated with a larger RewP at age 15. Most importantly, there were bidirectional prospective effects between the RewP and depression from ages 12 to 15; a lower RewP at age 12 predicted increases in depression at age 15, whereas increased depression at age 12 predicted a lower RewP at age 15. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that there are bidirectional prospective effects between reward responsiveness and depression that emerge between ages 12 and 15. This may be a crucial time for studying bidirectional reward responsiveness-depression associations across time.
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Burani K, Brush CJ, Shields GS, Klein DN, Nelson B, Slavich GM, Hajcak G. Cumulative lifetime acute stressor exposure interacts with reward responsiveness to predict longitudinal increases in depression severity in adolescence. Psychol Med 2023; 53:4507-4516. [PMID: 37698514 PMCID: PMC10388334 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722001386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Life stress and blunted reward processing each have been associated with the onset and maintenance of major depressive disorder. However, much of this work has been cross-sectional, conducted in separate lines of inquiry, and focused on recent life stressor exposure, despite the fact that theories of depression posit that stressors can have cumulative effects over the lifespan. To address these limitations, we investigated whether acute and chronic stressors occurring over the lifespan interacted with blunted reward processing to predict increases in depression over time in healthy youth. METHOD Participants were 245 adolescent girls aged 8-14 years old (Mage = 12.4, s.d. = 1.8) who were evaluated at baseline and two years later. The reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential measure of reward responsiveness, was assessed at baseline using the doors task. Cumulative lifetime exposure to acute and chronic stressors was assessed two years later using the Stress and Adversity Inventory for Adolescents (Adolescent STRAIN). Finally, depressive symptoms were assessed at both baseline and follow-up using the Children's Depression Inventory. RESULTS As hypothesized, greater lifetime acute stressor exposure predicted increases in depressive symptoms over two years, but only for youth exhibiting a blunted RewP. This interaction, however, was not found for chronic stressors. CONCLUSIONS Lifetime acute stressor exposure may be particularly depressogenic for youth exhibiting a blunted RewP. Conversely, a robust RewP may be protective in the presence of greater acute lifetime stressor exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kreshnik Burani
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - C. J. Brush
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Grant S. Shields
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Daniel N. Klein
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Brady Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - George M. Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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14
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Șoflău R, Szentágotai-Tătar A, Oltean LE. Childhood Adversity, Resilience, and Paranoia During the COVID-19 Outbreak. The Mediating Role of Irrational Beliefs and Affective Disturbance. JOURNAL OF RATIONAL-EMOTIVE AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37360924 PMCID: PMC10221745 DOI: 10.1007/s10942-023-00511-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Childhood adversity (CA) and resilience may impact on paranoia, but mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated two potential candidates: irrational beliefs and affective disturbance. Moreover, we investigated the potential moderating role of COVID-19 perceived stress in these associations. A community sample (N = 419, m age = 27.32 years, SD = 8.98; 88.10% females) completed self-report measures. Results indicated that paranoia was significantly associated with CA and resilience (p < .05), and both irrational beliefs and affective disturbance (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms) mediated the associations between CA and paranoia. Moreover, depressive and anxiety symptoms partially explained the mediating role of irrational beliefs. These predictive models explained up to 23.52% of variance in paranoia (F(3,415) = 42.536, p < .001). Findings on resilience and paranoia replicated these results, and COVID-19 perceived stress moderated the association between resilience and ideas of persecution. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of irrational beliefs, depressive and anxiety symptoms in high CA or low resilience individuals experiencing paranoia. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10942-023-00511-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu Șoflău
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Aurora Szentágotai-Tătar
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lia-Ecaterina Oltean
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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15
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Hostinar CE, Swartz JR, Alen NV, Guyer AE, Hastings PD. The role of stress phenotypes in understanding childhood adversity as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND CLINICAL SCIENCE 2023; 132:277-286. [PMID: 37126060 PMCID: PMC10153067 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Childhood adversity is a leading transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, being associated with an estimated 31-62% of childhood-onset disorders and 23-42% of adult-onset disorders (Kessler et al., 2010). Major unresolved theoretical challenges stem from the nonspecific and probabilistic nature of the links between childhood adversity and psychopathology. The links are nonspecific because childhood adversity increases risk, through a range of mechanisms, for diverse forms of psychopathology and are probabilistic because not all individuals exposed to childhood adversity develop psychopathology. In this article, we propose a path forward by focusing on stress phenotypes, defined as biobehavioral patterns activated in response to stressors that can disrupt future functioning when persistent (e.g., reward seeking, social withdrawal, aggression). This review centers on the accumulating evidence that psychopathology appears to be more strongly predicted by behavior and biology during states of stress. Building on this observation, our theoretical framework proposes that we can model pathways from childhood adversity to psychopathology with greater specificity and certainty by understanding stress phenotypes, defined as patterns of behavior and their corresponding biological substrates that are elicited by stressors. This approach aims to advance our conceptualization of mediating pathways from childhood adversity to psychopathology. Understanding stress phenotypes will bring us closer to "precision mental health," a person-centered approach to identifying, preventing, and treating psychopathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johnna R Swartz
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
| | | | - Amanda E Guyer
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
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16
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Suor JH, Granros M, Calentino AE, Luan Phan K, Burkhouse KL. The interplay of childhood maltreatment and maternal depression in relation to the reward positivity in youth. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:168-178. [PMID: 36914290 PMCID: PMC10014903 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Guided by developmental psychopathology and dual-risk frameworks, the present study examined the interplay between childhood maltreatment and maternal major depression history in relation to neural reward responsiveness in youth. The sample consisted of 96 youth (ages 9-16; M = 12.29 years, SD = 2.20; 68.8% female) drawn from a large metropolitan city. Youth were recruited based on whether their mothers had a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) and were categorized into two groups: youth with mothers with a history of MDD (high risk; HR; n = 56) and youth with mothers with no history of psychiatric disorders (low risk; LR; n = 40). The reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential component, was utilized to measure reward responsiveness and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire measured childhood maltreatment. We found a significant two-way interaction between childhood maltreatment and risk group in relation to RewP. Simple slope analysis revealed that in the HR group, greater childhood maltreatment was significantly associated with reduced RewP. The relationship between childhood maltreatment and RewP was not significant among the LR youth. The present findings demonstrate that the association between childhood maltreatment and blunted reward responsiveness is dependent on whether offspring have mothers with histories of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Suor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maria Granros
- Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alison E Calentino
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, The Stony Brook University, Stony Book, NY, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Katie L Burkhouse
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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17
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Kim K, Tsai AC, Lowe S, Stewart R, Jung SJ. Urbanicity, posttraumatic stress disorder, and effect modification by socioeconomic position: A nested case-control study of the Korean National Health Insurance Database. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2023; 147:54-64. [PMID: 36086797 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to estimate the association between urbanicity and the onset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to investigate heterogeneity therein according to age and socioeconomic position (SEP). METHODS We analyzed administrative data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database for patients with PTSD from 2004 to 2018 (N = 109,230) and for a 1:4 sample of age-, sex-, and enrollment year-matched controls. Information on eligibility, SEP (proxied by insurance premium), place of residence, diagnosis, and medical claims was obtained. Urbanicity of administrative districts was assessed using data from the Korean Statistical Information Service, 2005-2018. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) from baseline and time-dependent models. Subgroup analyses and polynomial splines were used to investigate heterogeneity by age and SEP. RESULTS Urbanicity was associated with an increased risk of PTSD (per 10%p increase, HR = 1.056, 95% CI 1.050-1.061). A positive association was estimated among patients aged 0-29 years (HR = 1.115, CI 1.106-1.124), while negative associations were estimated among patients aged 30-64 years (HR = 0.990, CI 0.987-0.994) and 65 years or older (HR = 0.992, CI 0.979-1.014). The estimated associations with urbanicity were more prominent at the extremes of SEP, but only among younger participants. CONCLUSION Urban residence was associated with an increased risk of PTSD diagnosis. The estimated association was larger among younger individuals (but not among middle-aged and older individuals). Among younger individuals, the estimated association was larger at both extremes of SEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwanghyun Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health and Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Sarah Lowe
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Connecticut, USA
| | - Robert Stewart
- King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience), London, UK.,South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sun Jae Jung
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.,Center for Global Health and Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.,Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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18
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Hill KE, Dickey L, Pegg S, Dao A, Arfer KB, Kujawa A. Associations between parental conflict and social and monetary reward responsiveness in adolescents with clinical depression. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:119-131. [PMID: 35852700 PMCID: PMC9771890 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00949-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Increased rates of depression beginning in adolescence are thought to be attributed in part to marked developmental changes in reward systems and interpersonal relationships. Blunted reward response has been observed in depression and this may be shaped in part by social experiences, raising questions about the combined associations of parental conflict, depression, and reward response in both social and monetary domains. The present study used the reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential that indexes both monetary and social reward processing, to examine the unique and combined associations of parental conflict and depressive symptoms on reward responsiveness in adolescents with clinical depression (N = 70) 14-18 years of age (M = 15.81, SD = 1.46; 65.7% female). Results indicated that depressive symptoms interacted with maternal conflict in characterizing the RewP to social, but not monetary, rewards. Specifically, higher levels of current depressive symptoms and potentiated maternal conflict together were associated with an attenuated RewP to social rewards in this clinical sample. We found no significant effects of paternal conflict. This investigation highlights maternal conflict as an important environmental factor for reward responsiveness and also emphasizes the utility of examining social reward responsiveness in depression in order to better understand the impacts of contextual factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylin E Hill
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lindsay Dickey
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anh Dao
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kodi B Arfer
- Mount Sinai Health System, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, USA.
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19
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Yan L, Kohn N, Yi W, Wang N, Duan H, Wu J. Blunted reward responsiveness prospectively predicts emotional distress when exposed to a naturalistic stressor. Br J Psychol 2022; 114:376-392. [PMID: 36573298 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Both stress and blunted reward responsiveness have been identified as core risk factors of depression. Whether blunted reward responsiveness increases psychological vulnerability to real-life stress from a dynamic perspective (from stress reactivity to recovery) has not been investigated. By utilizing a real-world stressful event (i.e. the final examination), this study aimed to explore the role of reward responsiveness in the stress-emotional distress relationship during stress reactivity and recovery phases. We followed 57 undergraduates with three assessments, from six weeks before examination weeks (T1, baseline), one day before the examinations (T2) to two weeks after the examinations (T3), therefore, covering stress reactivity (T1 to T2) and recovery (T2 to T3) phases. At baseline, reward responsiveness was measured as the Reward Positivity (RewP) in the doors task. Stress and emotional distress (anxiety and depression) were reported at T1, T2 and T3 to capture their dynamic changes. Results showed that self-report stress levels significantly increased from T1 to T2 (stress reactivity phase) and decreased from T2 to T3 (stress recovery phase). Furthermore, blunted reward responsiveness at baseline prospectively predicted emotional distress during the stress reactivity phase but not the recovery phase. Specifically, during the stress reactivity phase, higher perceived stress was associated with greater anxiety and depression only in participants with relatively smaller residual RewP amplitudes but not in participants with relatively larger residual RewP amplitudes. Our study demonstrated that a blunted reward responsiveness is a vulnerable factor of depression, especially when exposed to stress. Our findings provide insights into prevention and intervention for stress-related disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Yan
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Nils Kohn
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Wei Yi
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Naiyi Wang
- Faculty of Education Beijing Normal University Beijing China
- Lab for Educational Neuroscience, Center for Educational Science and Technology Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Hongxia Duan
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience Shenzhen China
| | - Jianhui Wu
- Center for Brain Disorder and Cognitive Science Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
- Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience Shenzhen China
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20
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Eckstrand KL, Silk JS, Nance M, Wallace ML, Buckley N, Lindenmuth M, Flores L, Alarcón G, Quevedo K, Phillips ML, Lenniger CJ, Sammon MM, Brostowin A, Ryan N, Jones N, Forbes EE. Medial Prefrontal Cortex Activity to Reward Outcome Moderates the Association Between Victimization Due to Sexual Orientation and Depression in Youth. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2022; 7:1289-1297. [PMID: 36064188 PMCID: PMC9842132 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual minority youth (SMY) are 3 times more likely to experience depression than heterosexual peers. Minority stress theory posits that this association is explained by sexual orientation victimization, which acts as a stressor to impact depression. For those vulnerable to the effects of stress, victimization may worsen depression by altering activity in neural reward systems. This study examines whether neural reward systems moderate the influence of sexual orientation victimization, a common and distressing experience in SMY, on depression. METHODS A total of 81 participants ages 15 to 22 years (41% SMY, 52% marginalized race) reported sexual orientation victimization, depression severity, and anhedonia severity, and underwent a monetary reward functional magnetic resonance imaging task. Significant activation to reward > neutral outcome (pfamilywise error < .05) was determined within a meta-analytically derived Neurosynth reward mask. A univariate linear model examined the impact of reward activation and identity on victimization-depression relationships. RESULTS SMY reported higher depression (p < .001), anhedonia (p = .03), and orientation victimization (p < .001) than heterosexual youth. The bilateral ventral striatum, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), anterior cingulate cortex, and right orbitofrontal cortex were significantly active to reward. mPFC activation moderated associations between sexual orientation victimization and depression (p = .03), with higher depression severity observed in those with a combination of higher mPFC activation and greater orientation victimization. CONCLUSIONS Sexual orientation victimization was related to depression but only in the context of higher mPFC activation, a pattern observed in depressed youth. These novel results provide evidence for neural reward sensitivity as a vulnerability factor for depression in SMY, suggesting mechanisms for disparities, and are a first step toward a clinical neuroscience understanding of minority stress in SMY.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer S. Silk
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Melissa Nance
- Department of Psychology, University of Missouri St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
| | | | - Nicole Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - Luis Flores
- Department of Psychology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gabriela Alarcón
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Karina Quevedo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Mary L. Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - M. McLean Sammon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Alyssa Brostowin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Neal Ryan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Neil Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Erika E. Forbes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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21
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Pechtel P, Belleau EL, Kaiser RH, Whitton AE, Beltzer M, Clegg R, Goer F, Vitaliano G, Teicher MH, Pizzagalli DA. Stress and reward: A multimodal assessment of childhood sexual abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 21:100498. [PMID: 36532372 PMCID: PMC9755059 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood adversity has been found to impact stress and brain reward systems but it is unclear whether interactions between these systems might explain resilient vs. non-resilient trajectories following childhood sexual abuse (CSA). To address this gap, we adopted a multimodal approach in which cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor was assessed in conjunction with behavioral and neural measures of reward responsiveness in females with major depressive disorder (MDD) or no psychiatric disorders (i.e., resilient) who experienced CSA compared to females with and without MDD who did not experience abuse. Methods Latent Class Mixed Modelling (LCMM) identified classes of adults (n = 62; MAge = 26.48, SD = 5.68) characterized by distinct cortisol trajectories in response to a combined social evaluative cold pressor task. Classes were examined for their history of CSA and resilience as well as behavioral and neural measures of reward responsiveness using 128-channel electroencephalography (event-related potentials and source localization analysis). Results LCMM analysis identified two distinct classes of individuals with increased (Responders) or blunted (Non-Responders) cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor. Unlike Responders, Non-Responders did not modulate reward responses throughout the stress manipulation. No differences emerged between Responders and Non-Responders in terms of CSA or resilience. However, exploratory results showed that blunted cortisol response and non-modulation of reward responses emerged for those who experienced CSA at a younger age. Conclusions Co-occurring blunted stress and reward reactivity emerged irrespective of adults' experience of CSA or resilience. However, preliminary findings showed that CSA ending during peripubertal development was associated with blunted cortisol and reward responsiveness. Future research needs to replicate findings in larger samples and could investigate if increasing reward responsiveness during critical times of neurodevelopment could normalize stress reactivity to future stressors and thus promote resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Pechtel
- University of Exeter, Department of Psychology, Exeter, UK
| | - Emily L. Belleau
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Roselinde H. Kaiser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
| | - Alexis E. Whitton
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Miranda Beltzer
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Rachel Clegg
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Franziska Goer
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
| | - Gordana Vitaliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Diego A. Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, USA
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22
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Rave R, Itzchakov G, Weinstein N, Reis HT. How to get through hard times: Principals' listening buffers teachers' stress on turnover intention and promotes organizational citizenship behavior. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-16. [PMID: 35967509 PMCID: PMC9362686 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03529-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
When principals listen to their teachers, they may foster an open and receptive work environment that helps teachers adapt during stressful times. Two studies examined the role of perceived principals' listening to teachers on workplace outcomes. Study 1 (N = 218) was conducted during the first nationwide lockdown in Israel. Study 2 (N = 247) was conducted during a later lockdown and controlled for social support to test the independent effects of the two distinct interpersonal experiences. Findings supported our hypothesis that principals' listening would relate to lower teacher turnover intention. In addition, in line with our hypothesis, teachers high on perceived stress generally reported higher turnover intentions. However, the detrimental effect of perceived stress was not observed when teachers evaluated their principals as good listeners. Finally, we anticipated and found that principal listening is associated with organizational citizenship behavior. Specifically, teachers were more likely to help one another when feeling listened to by their principals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Rave
- Department of Human Services, The University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, 349883 Haifa, Israel
| | - Guy Itzchakov
- Department of Human Services, The University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, 349883 Haifa, Israel
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23
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Abstract
Anhedonia is a core feature of psychopathological conditions that have recent exposure to stress and trauma as central to their etiology. Indeed, evolutionary accounts of depression suggest that decreased motivation to pursue reward may be an adaptive strategy in the face of social stress, in particular, as it may serve to defuse interpersonal conflict. Through a review of rodent models and research with humans, we show that exposure to stress, particularly when it is chronic, repeated, and/or involves themes of social rejection or defeat, is consistently associated with reduced hedonic capacity ("liking"), motivation to pursue reward ("wanting"), and ability to learn from reward ("reward learning"). Further, across rodent and human research, there is evidence that females show greater stress-induced blunting of reward processing than males. In humans, this sex difference emerges most strongly when examining individual differences in the stress response rather than group differences in stress exposure. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the etiology of, and sex differences in, stress-related psychopathology, including depression and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Harkness
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
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24
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Burani K, Gallyer A, Ryan J, Jordan C, Joiner T, Hajcak G. Acute stress reduces reward-related neural activity: Evidence from the reward positivity. Stress 2021; 24:833-839. [PMID: 33998959 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1929164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress and blunted reward processing are risk factors for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The experience of acute stress reduces fMRI correlates of reward-related neural activity; however, few studies have examined how acute stress impacts measures of reward derived from event-related potentials (ERPs). The current study examined the impact of an acute stressor on the Reward Positivity (RewP), an ERP that indexes reward sensitivity, in twenty-six college students. Participants completed a monetary reward task while they placed their left hand in cold water set at 13 °C (i.e. acute stress condition) and again while their hand was placed in room temperature water (i.e. control condition). These conditions were separated by one week and performed in a counter-balanced order across participants. The results revealed that the RewP amplitude was blunted in the acute stress condition compared to the control condition. Moreover, there was a trend toward this effect interacting with self-reported depressive symptoms: the RewP was reduced only among individuals who reported low depressive symptoms. The current study suggests that an acute stressor reduces the RewP, and that this effect might be moderated by current depressive symptoms. Future studies might examine the temporal association between reward processing and stress, and how they interact to predict depressive symptoms.LAY SUMMARYThe current study examined the impact of acute stress on the brain's reward system. The results indicated that acute stress reduced activity within the brain's reward system, particularly among individuals with low depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kreshnik Burani
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Austin Gallyer
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Jon Ryan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Carson Jordan
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Thomas Joiner
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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25
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Maternal suicidality interacts with blunted reward processing to prospectively predict increases in depressive symptoms in 8-to-14-year-old girls. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 170:67-74. [PMID: 34648887 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Both a hypoactive reward system and maternal depression are associated with the onset of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in youth. Recent research indicates that blunted reward processing and maternal history of depression may interact to predict increases in depressive symptoms, however, the role of specific maternal depressive symptoms has not been examined. The current study investigated whether maternal depressive symptoms, history of MDD, and suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors (STBs) might lead to prospective increases in depressive symptoms one year later in the context of hypoactive reward processing. In a sample (N = 212) of 8 to 14-year-old girls, we assessed depressive symptoms in youth at baseline and follow up, while reward processing was measured using the Reward Positivity (RewP) event-related brain potential. Maternal STBs, current depressive symptoms, and history of maternal MDD were assessed at baseline. The results indicated that only girls with a blunted RewP and maternal STBs exhibited increased depressive symptoms one year later. These results were not evident when maternal depressive symptoms or maternal history of MDD was examined as the moderator. Overall, the current study provides evidence that maternal STBs uniquely impact youth with blunted reward processing.
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26
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Feurer C, Granros M, Calentino AE, Suor JH, Patel K, Burkhouse KL. The interplay of stress and electrocortical reactivity to reward in the prospective prediction of depression symptoms during COVID-19. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 140:124-131. [PMID: 34111702 PMCID: PMC8319085 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Rates of depression have increased during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, potentially due to associated stress exposure. However, it remains unclear which individuals are most susceptible. Electrocortical markers of reward processing, such as the reward positivity (RewP), are implicated in depression risk and may provide insights into who is most vulnerable to stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study examined whether pre-pandemic neural correlates of reward reactivity (i.e., RewP) moderated the impact of social and financial stress on changes in youth and mother depression symptoms pre-to-post pandemic onset. Youth (n = 45) and mothers (n = 45) in the current sample were recruited prior to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a larger study. RewP was assessed pre-pandemic, and depression symptoms were assessed pre- and post-pandemic onset for both youth and mothers. Additionally, social and financial chronic stress severity was assessed post-pandemic onset using a modified version of the UCLA Life Stress Interview. Financial stress was associated with prospective increases in depression for youth exhibiting blunted RewP at baseline. Similarly, family stress was associated with prospective increases in depression symptoms for mothers exhibiting blunted RewP at baseline. Findings suggest reduced reward responsiveness at the neural level may predispose both youth and mothers to future depression symptoms when exposed to higher levels of stress in the context of a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cope Feurer
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Maria Granros
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alison E. Calentino
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer H. Suor
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Khushboo Patel
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA
| | - Katie L. Burkhouse
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
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27
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Neurophysiological Responses to Interpersonal Emotional Images: Associations with Symptoms of Depression and Social Anxiety. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1306-1318. [PMID: 34272679 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00925-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Affective neuroscience research using electrocortical event-related potentials has provided valuable insights on alterations in emotion processing in internalizing disorders. However, internalizing disorders are accompanied by additional impairments in social cognition and functioning, and most extant research examines neural responses to broad categories of emotional scenes or faces presented irrespective of context. Examining neural reactivity specifically to interpersonal emotional scenes may more precisely capture and disentangle processes involved in depression and social anxiety, two highly comorbid forms of psychopathology. The current study validated a novel set of positive and threatening interpersonal emotional stimuli in a sample of emerging adults (N = 114) who completed a modified emotional interrupt paradigm while electroencephalogram and behavioral data were recorded. Participant ratings of valence and arousal supported the validity of the emotional images. Consistent with prior research, sustained neurophysiological processing indexed by the late positive potential (LPP) was observed for interpersonal emotional images, especially positive, compared with neutral images. Elevated LPP reactivity to both positive and threatening interpersonal images moderated the effects of chronic interpersonal stress on social anxiety symptoms, such that enhanced LPP reactivity in conjunction with higher levels of chronic interpersonal stress was associated with elevated social anxiety symptoms. These results were unique to social anxiety symptoms and not symptoms of depression, suggesting sustained neural processing of interpersonal stimuli may differentiate social anxiety from depression. Future research on emotional reactivity specifically within the interpersonal domain is needed to inform our understanding of developmental pathways to internalizing psychopathology.
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28
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Kim JS, Lee YJ, Shim SH. What Event-Related Potential Tells Us about Brain Function: Child-Adolescent Psychiatric Perspectives. Soa Chongsonyon Chongsin Uihak 2021; 32:93-98. [PMID: 34285633 PMCID: PMC8262973 DOI: 10.5765/jkacap.210012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) measures neural activation due to various cognitive processes. EEG and event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely used in studies investigating psychopathology and neural substrates of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to review recent ERP studies in child and adolescent psychiatry. ERPs are non-invasive methods for studying synaptic functions in the brain. ERP might be a candidate biomarker in child-adolescent psychiatry, considering its ability to reflect cognitive and behavioral functions in humans. For the EEG study of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents, several ERP components have been used, such as mismatch negativity, P300, error-related negativity (ERN), and reward positivity (RewP). Regarding executive functions and inhibition in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), P300 latency, and ERN were significantly different in patients with ADHD compared to those in the healthy population. ERN showed meaningful changes in patients with anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with depression showed significantly attenuated RewP compared to the healthy population, which was related to the symptoms of anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Sun Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Yeon Jung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Se-Hoon Shim
- Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
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29
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Sobol M, Woźny M, Czubak-Paluch K. Emotion regulation and social support as related to depressive symptoms: A study of healthy and hospitalized adolescents. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Neurophysiological Responses to Interpersonal Emotional Images Prospectively Predict the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress on Internalizing Symptoms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:887-897. [PMID: 33727140 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to stressful events related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has been associated with increases in the prevalence of depression and anxiety, raising questions about vulnerabilities that make some individuals more susceptible to internalizing symptoms following stress exposure. METHODS This prospective study examined the effects of neurophysiological reactivity to positive and threatening interpersonal stimuli, indexed by the late positive potential (LPP) event-related potential, in conjunction with exposure to interpersonal pandemic-related stressors in the prediction of internalizing symptom changes from before to during the pandemic. Emerging adults (n= 75) initially completed measures of internalizing symptoms and an interpersonal emotional images task while an electroencephalogram was recorded pre-pandemic and were recontacted during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 to complete measures of exposure to pandemic-related stressful events and current internalizing symptoms. RESULTS Results indicated that emerging adults experienced numerous stressful events associated with the pandemic, as well as overall increases in symptoms of depression and traumatic intrusions during the pandemic. Furthermore, significant interactions between LPP reactivity to positive and threatening interpersonal stimuli and interpersonal stress exposure emerged in the prediction of internalizing symptoms, controlling for baseline symptoms. Under high exposure to interpersonal stressors, reduced positive LPPs predicted increases in depressive symptoms while enhanced threatening LPPs predicted increases in traumatic intrusions. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on emerging adults, and the role of individual differences in neurophysiological reactivity to emotional stimuli in vulnerability for depression and traumatic intrusions following stress exposure.
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31
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Pegg S, Arfer KB, Kujawa A. Altered reward responsiveness and depressive symptoms: An examination of social and monetary reward domains and interactions with rejection sensitivity. J Affect Disord 2021; 282:717-725. [PMID: 33601712 PMCID: PMC7896043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in positive valence systems and social processes, including low reward responsiveness and high rejection sensitivity, have been observed in depression. Most reward research focuses on the monetary domain, but social reward responsiveness may be particularly relevant to understanding the etiology of depression, especially in combination with other social processes. Pathways to depression are complex, and research testing interactions between multiple factors is needed. The present study examined the interactive effects of reward responsiveness and rejection sensitivity on depressive symptoms using both social and monetary reward electroencephalogram (EEG) tasks. METHODS Emerging adults (N = 120) completed peer interaction and monetary incentive delay tasks while EEG data were recorded, as well as self-report measures of rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms. RESULTS The interaction between social reward responsiveness and self-reported rejection sensitivity was significantly associated with depressive symptoms, such that rejection sensitivity was associated with greater depressive symptoms for those with a relatively reduced response to social reward. The interaction between monetary reward responsiveness and rejection sensitivity was not significant. LIMITATIONS The study was cross-sectional and used a non-clinical sample. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest a possible pathway for depressive symptoms characterized by the combination of high rejection sensitivity and low social reward responsiveness. Findings highlight the need for consideration of multiple domains of reward responsiveness in clinical neuroscience research. With extension to longitudinal studies and clinical samples, the present findings may inform understanding of targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Pegg
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development
| | - Kodi B. Arfer
- Mount Sinai Health System, Icahn School of Medicine, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, United States.
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32
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Bylsma LM. Emotion context insensitivity in depression: Toward an integrated and contextualized approach. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13715. [PMID: 33274773 PMCID: PMC8097691 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by pervasive mood disturbance as well as deficits in emotional processing, reactivity, and regulation. There is accumulating evidence that MDD is characterized by emotional patterns consistent with environmental disengagement, as reflected in attenuated positive and negative emotional reactivity, consistent with Emotion Context Insensitivity (ECI) theory. However, MDD individuals vary considerably in the extent to which they exhibit specific alterations in patterns of emotional responding. Emotions are complex, multicomponent processes that invoke responses across multiple functional domains and levels of analysis, including subjective experience, behavior, autonomic regulation, cognition, and neural processing. In this article, I review the current state of the literature on emotional responding and MDD from the lens of ECI. I focus on the importance of assessing emotional indices from multiple levels of analysis across development and contexts. I also discuss methodological and measurement issues that may contribute to inconsistent findings. In particular, I emphasize how psychophysiological measures can help elucidate emotional processes that underlie the pathophysiology of MDD as part of an integrated and contextualized approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Bylsma
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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33
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Feng R, Bao W, Zhuo L, Gao Y, Yao H, Li Y, Liang L, Liang K, Zhou M, Zhang L, Huang G, Huang X. Family Conflict Associated With Intrinsic Hippocampal-OFC Connectivity in Adolescent Depressive Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:797898. [PMID: 35095611 PMCID: PMC8795074 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.797898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family environment and life events have long been suggested to be associated with adolescent depression. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the neural mechanism of major depressive disorder (MDD) through memory during stressful events. However, few studies have explored the exact neural mechanisms underlying these associations. Thus, the current study aimed to explore alterations in hippocampal functional connectivity (FC) in adolescent MDD based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and further investigate the relationship between hippocampal FC, environmental factors, and clinical symptom severity. METHODS Hippocampal FC was calculated using the seed-based approach with the bilateral hippocampus as the seed for 111 adolescents with and without MDD; comparisons were made between participants with MDD and controls. We applied the Chinese version of the Family Environment Scale (FES-CV) and Adolescents Self-Rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) to evaluate family environment and life stress. Their relationship with hippocampal FC alterations was also investigated. RESULTS We found that compared to controls, adolescents with MDD showed decreased connectivity between the left hippocampus and bilateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and right inferior temporal gyrus. In addition, the hippocampal-OFC connectivity was negatively correlated with conflict scores of the FES-CV in the MDD group and mediated the association between family conflict and depressive and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION Our findings are novel in the field and demonstrate how family conflict contributes to MDD symptomatology through hippocampal-OFC connectivity; these findings may provide potential targets for personalized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruohan Feng
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Radiology, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Weijie Bao
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lihua Zhuo
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Yingxue Gao
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongchao Yao
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Lijun Liang
- Department of Psychiatry, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Kaili Liang
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Lianqing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guoping Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Sichuan Mental Health Center, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
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34
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Kujawa A, Klein DN, Pegg S, Weinberg A. Developmental trajectories to reduced activation of positive valence systems: A review of biological and environmental contributions. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 43:100791. [PMID: 32510349 PMCID: PMC7225621 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced activation of positive valence systems (PVS), including blunted neural and physiological responses to pleasant stimuli and rewards, has been shown to prospectively predict the development of psychopathology. Yet, little is known about how reduced PVS activation emerges across development or what implications it has for prevention. We review genetic, temperament, parenting, and naturalistic and laboratory stress research on neural measures of PVS and outline developmentally-informed models of trajectories of PVS activation. PVS function is partly heritable and appears to reflect individual differences in early-emerging temperament traits. Although lab-induced stressors blunt PVS activation, effects of parenting and naturalistic stress on PVS are mixed and depend on the type of stressor, developmental timing, and interactions amongst risk factors. We propose that there may be multiple, dynamic developmental trajectories to reduced PVS activation in which combinations of genes, temperament, and exposure to severe, prolonged, or uncontrollable stress may exert direct and interactive effects on PVS function. Critically, these risk factors may alter PVS developmental trajectories and/or PVS sensitivity to proximal stressors. Distinct factors may converge such that PVS activation proceeds along a typical, accelerated, chronically low, or stress-reactive trajectory. Finally, we present directions for future research with translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203-5721, United States.
| | - Daniel N Klein
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, United States.
| | - Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203-5721, United States.
| | - Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1G1, Canada.
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35
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Guyer AE. Adolescent Psychopathology: The Role of Brain-based Diatheses, Sensitivities, and Susceptibilities. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2020; 14:104-109. [PMID: 32655684 DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The rates of onset for several forms of psychopathology peak during adolescence, which coincides with the refinement of brain circuitry attuned to expanding social-contextual interactions, stressors, and settings. While some adolescents experience mental health difficulties, most do not develop significant problems. Conceptual work suggests that brain-based individual differences in adolescents' neurobiological susceptibility to their social contexts play a role in the development of psychopathology and well-being. In this article, I summarize evidence supporting the idea that individual differences in brain structure and function moderate the relation between adolescents' social-contextual experiences and psychopathology. I discuss why this approach is important in developmental research designed to identify adolescents at greatest risk for psychopathology or poised for positive outcomes, as well as those who may benefit most from intervention.
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36
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Pegg S, Ethridge P, Shields GS, Slavich GM, Weinberg A, Kujawa A. Blunted Social Reward Responsiveness Moderates the Effect of Lifetime Social Stress Exposure on Depressive Symptoms. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:178. [PMID: 31447659 PMCID: PMC6692494 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to social stress is a well-established risk factor for the development and recurrence of depression. Reduced neural responsiveness to monetary reward has been associated with greater symptoms following stress exposure. However, it remains unclear whether reduced reward responsiveness serves as a mediator or moderator of the effects of stress on internalizing symptoms or whether similar patterns emerge with responses to social reward. We addressed this issue by measuring lifetime stress exposure and event-related potentials (ERPs) to social reward in 231 emerging adults (M = 18.16, SD = 0.41 years old). Participants completed the Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) to assess severity of lifetime stressors and self-report measures of current internalizing symptoms. In addition, participants completed the Island Getaway task in which the reward positivity (RewP) ERP was recorded in response to social acceptance, adjusting for responses to rejection (RewP residual). In this task, participants vote to accept or reject peers and receive reward/acceptance and rejection feedback. Stressors were divided into social and non-social stress severity scores. Analyses were conducted to test social reward responsiveness as a mediator or moderator of the effects of social and non-social stress on internalizing symptoms. Both social and non-social stress exposure over the life course predicted symptoms of depression (ps < 0.001) and social anxiety (ps < 0.002). The effect of social stress on depression was moderated by the residual RewP to social reward, adjusting for responses to social rejection (p =0.024), such that greater lifetime social stress exposure and a relatively blunted RewP to social reward were associated with greater depressive symptoms. Social reward responsiveness did not mediate effects of stress on internalizing symptoms. Reduced processing of social reward may be a vulnerability for depression that increases risk for symptoms following exposure to social stress. Blunted social reward responsiveness appears to be a relatively unique vulnerability for depression, rather than social anxiety. Results support the utility of ERP measures in measuring individual differences in social reward processing that can be applied to better understand neural processes involved in the development of depression, and highlight the importance of considering specific dimensions of stressful life experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Pegg
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Paige Ethridge
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Grant S Shields
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anna Weinberg
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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