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Ngetich R, Villalba-García C, Soborun Y, Vékony T, Czakó A, Demetrovics Z, Németh D. Learning and memory processes in behavioural addiction: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105747. [PMID: 38870547 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105747] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Similar to addictive substances, addictive behaviours such as gambling and gaming are associated with maladaptive modulation of key brain areas and functional networks implicated in learning and memory. Therefore, this review sought to understand how different learning and memory processes relate to behavioural addictions and to unravel their underlying neural mechanisms. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically searched four databases - PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using the agreed-upon search string. Findings suggest altered executive function-dependent learning processes and enhanced habit learning in behavioural addiction. Whereas the relationship between working memory and behavioural addiction is influenced by addiction type, working memory aspect, and task nature. Additionally, long-term memory is incoherent in individuals with addictive behaviours. Consistently, neurophysiological evidence indicates alterations in brain areas and networks implicated in learning and memory processes in behavioural addictions. Overall, the present review argues that, like substance use disorders, alteration in learning and memory processes may underlie the development and maintenance of behavioural addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Ngetich
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | | | - Yanisha Soborun
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | - Teodóra Vékony
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France; Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Andrea Czakó
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Demetrovics
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Dezső Németh
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France; Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; BML-NAP Research Group, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University & Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Friedemann M, Fox CA, Hanlon AK, Tighe D, Yeung N, Gillan CM. Confidence biases in problem gambling. J Behav Addict 2024; 13:650-664. [PMID: 38850516 PMCID: PMC11220811 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2024.00030] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Subjective confidence plays an important role in guiding behaviour, especially when objective feedback is unavailable. Systematic misjudgements in confidence can foster maladaptive behaviours and have been linked to various psychiatric disorders. In this study, we adopted a transdiagnostic approach to examine confidence biases in problem gamblers across three levels: local decision confidence, global task performance confidence, and overall self-esteem. The importance of taking a transdiagnostic perspective is increasingly recognised, as it captures the dimensional nature of psychiatric symptoms that often cut across diagnostic boundaries. Accordingly, we investigated if any observed confidence biases could be explained by transdiagnostic symptom dimensions of Anxiety-Depression and Compulsive Behaviour and Intrusive Thought. This approach allows us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role of metacognitive processes in problem gambling, beyond the constraints of traditional diagnostic categories. Methods Thirty-eight problem gamblers and 38 demographically matched control participants engaged in a gamified metacognition task and completed self-report questionnaires assessing transdiagnostic symptom dimensions. Results Compared to controls, problem gamblers displayed significantly elevated confidence at the local decision and global task levels, independent of their actual task performance. This elevated confidence was observed even after controlling for the heightened symptom levels of Anxiety-Depression and Compulsive Behaviour and Intrusive Thought among the problem gamblers. Discussion The results reveal a notable disparity in confidence levels between problem gamblers and control participants, not fully accounted for by the symptom dimensions Anxiety-Depression and Compulsive Behaviour and Intrusive Thought. This suggests the contribution of other factors, perhaps linked to gambling-specific cognitive distortions, to the observed confidence biases. Conclusion The findings highlight the intricate link between metacognitive confidence and psychiatric symptoms in the context of problem gambling. It underscores the need for further research into metacognitive biases, which could enhance therapeutic approaches for individuals with psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Friedemann
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Celine A. Fox
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anna K. Hanlon
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel Tighe
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nick Yeung
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Claire M. Gillan
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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3
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Kwon M, Choi H, Park H, Ahn WY, Jung YC. Neural correlates of model-based behavior in internet gaming disorder and alcohol use disorder. J Behav Addict 2024; 13:236-249. [PMID: 38460004 PMCID: PMC10988400 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2024.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background An imbalance between model-based and model-free decision-making systems is a common feature in addictive disorders. However, little is known about whether similar decision-making deficits appear in internet gaming disorder (IGD). This study compared neurocognitive features associated with model-based and model-free systems in IGD and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Method Participants diagnosed with IGD (n = 22) and AUD (n = 22), and healthy controls (n = 30) performed the two-stage task inside the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. We used computational modeling and hierarchical Bayesian analysis to provide a mechanistic account of their choice behavior. Then, we performed a model-based fMRI analysis and functional connectivity analysis to identify neural correlates of the decision-making processes in each group. Results The computational modeling results showed similar levels of model-based behavior in the IGD and AUD groups. However, we observed distinct neural correlates of the model-based reward prediction error (RPE) between the two groups. The IGD group exhibited insula-specific activation associated with model-based RPE, while the AUD group showed prefrontal activation, particularly in the orbitofrontal cortex and superior frontal gyrus. Furthermore, individuals with IGD demonstrated hyper-connectivity between the insula and brain regions in the salience network in the context of model-based RPE. Discussion and Conclusions The findings suggest potential differences in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying model-based behavior in IGD and AUD, albeit shared cognitive features observed in computational modeling analysis. As the first neuroimaging study to compare IGD and AUD in terms of the model-based system, this study provides novel insights into distinct decision-making processes in IGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Kwon
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hangnyoung Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Harhim Park
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woo-Young Ahn
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- AI Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young-Chul Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Institute for Innovation in Digital Healthcare, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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4
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Hoven M, Luigjes J, van Holst RJ. Learning and metacognition under volatility in GD: Lower learning rates and distorted coupling between action and confidence. J Behav Addict 2024; 13:226-235. [PMID: 38340145 PMCID: PMC10988407 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2023.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Decisions and learning processes are under metacognitive control, where confidence in one's actions guides future behaviour. Indeed, studies have shown that being more confident results in less action updating and learning, and vice versa. This coupling between action and confidence can be disrupted, as has been found in individuals with high compulsivity symptoms. Patients with Gambling Disorder (GD) have been shown to exhibit both higher confidence and deficits in learning. Methods In this study, we tested the hypotheses that patients with GD display increased confidence, reduced action updating and lower learning rates. Additionally, we investigated whether the action-confidence coupling was distorted in patients with GD. To address this, 27 patients with GD and 30 control participants performed a predictive inference task designed to assess action and confidence dynamics during learning under volatility. Action-updating, confidence and their coupling were assessed and computational modeling estimated parameters for learning rates, error sensitivity, and sensitivity to environmental changes. Results Contrary to our expectations, results revealed no significant group differences in action updating or confidence levels. Nevertheless, GD patients exhibited a weakened coupling between confidence and action, as well as lower learning rates. Discussion and conclusions This suggests that patients with GD may underutilize confidence when steering future behavioral choices. Ultimately, these findings point to a disruption of metacognitive control in GD, without a general overconfidence bias in neutral, non-incentivized volatile learning contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monja Hoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC – University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Judy Luigjes
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC – University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruth J. van Holst
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC – University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Nebe S, Kretzschmar A, Brandt MC, Tobler PN. Characterizing Human Habits in the Lab. COLLABRA. PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 10:92949. [PMID: 38463460 PMCID: PMC7615722 DOI: 10.1525/collabra.92949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Habits pose a fundamental puzzle for those aiming to understand human behavior. They pervade our everyday lives and dominate some forms of psychopathology but are extremely hard to elicit in the lab. In this Registered Report, we developed novel experimental paradigms grounded in computational models, which suggest that habit strength should be proportional to the frequency of behavior and, in contrast to previous research, independent of value. Specifically, we manipulated how often participants performed responses in two tasks varying action repetition without, or separately from, variations in value. Moreover, we asked how this frequency-based habitization related to value-based operationalizations of habit and self-reported propensities for habitual behavior in real life. We find that choice frequency during training increases habit strength at test and that this form of habit shows little relation to value-based operationalizations of habit. Our findings empirically ground a novel perspective on the constituents of habits and suggest that habits may arise in the absence of external reinforcement. We further find no evidence for an overlap between different experimental approaches to measuring habits and no associations with self-reported real-life habits. Thus, our findings call for a rigorous reassessment of our understanding and measurement of human habitual behavior in the lab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Nebe
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - André Kretzschmar
- Individual Differences and Assessment, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maike C. Brandt
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philippe N. Tobler
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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6
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Šabanović M, Lazari A, Blanco-Pozo M, Tisca C, Tachrount M, Martins-Bach AB, Lerch JP, Walton ME, Bannerman DM. Lasting dynamic effects of the psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine ((±)-DOI) on cognitive flexibility. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02439-2. [PMID: 38321122 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02439-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs can aid fast and lasting remission from various neuropsychiatric disorders, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Preclinical studies suggest serotonergic psychedelics enhance neuronal plasticity, but whether neuroplastic changes can also be seen at cognitive and behavioural levels is unexplored. Here we show that a single dose of the psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine ((±)-DOI) affects structural brain plasticity and cognitive flexibility in young adult mice beyond the acute drug experience. Using ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging, we show increased volumes of several sensory and association areas one day after systemic administration of 2 mgkg-1 (±)-DOI. We then demonstrate lasting effects of (±)-DOI on cognitive flexibility in a two-step probabilistic reversal learning task where 2 mgkg-1 (±)-DOI improved the rate of adaptation to a novel reversal in task structure occurring one-week post-treatment. Strikingly, (±)-DOI-treated mice started learning from reward omissions, a unique strategy not typically seen in mice in this task, suggesting heightened sensitivity to previously overlooked cues. Crucially, further experiments revealed that (±)-DOI's effects on cognitive flexibility were contingent on the timing between drug treatment and the novel reversal, as well as on the nature of the intervening experience. (±)-DOI's facilitation of both cognitive adaptation and novel thinking strategies may contribute to the clinical benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly in cases of perseverative behaviours and a resistance to change seen in depression, anxiety, or addiction. Furthermore, our findings highlight the crucial role of time-dependent neuroplasticity and the influence of experiential factors in shaping the therapeutic potential of psychedelic interventions for impaired cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merima Šabanović
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SR, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Alberto Lazari
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Marta Blanco-Pozo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SR, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Cristiana Tisca
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Mohamed Tachrount
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Aurea B Martins-Bach
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Mark E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SR, Oxford, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK.
| | - David M Bannerman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SR, Oxford, UK.
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7
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Pool ER, Pauli WM, Cross L, O'Doherty JP. Neural substrates of parallel devaluation-sensitive and devaluation-insensitive Pavlovian learning in humans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8057. [PMID: 38052792 PMCID: PMC10697955 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43747-5] [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: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We aim to differentiate the brain regions involved in the learning and encoding of Pavlovian associations sensitive to changes in outcome value from those that are not sensitive to such changes by combining a learning task with outcome devaluation, eye-tracking, and functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans. Contrary to theoretical expectation, voxels correlating with reward prediction errors in the ventral striatum and subgenual cingulate appear to be sensitive to devaluation. Moreover, regions encoding state prediction errors appear to be devaluation insensitive. We can also distinguish regions encoding predictions about outcome taste identity from predictions about expected spatial location. Regions encoding predictions about taste identity seem devaluation sensitive while those encoding predictions about an outcome's spatial location seem devaluation insensitive. These findings suggest the existence of multiple and distinct associative mechanisms in the brain and help identify putative neural correlates for the parallel expression of both devaluation sensitive and insensitive conditioned behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva R Pool
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Wolfgang M Pauli
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Logan Cross
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - John P O'Doherty
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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8
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Ngetich R, Burleigh TL, Czakó A, Vékony T, Németh D, Demetrovics Z. Working memory performance in disordered gambling and gaming: A systematic review. Compr Psychiatry 2023; 126:152408. [PMID: 37573802 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2023.152408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Converging evidence supports that gaming and gambling disorders are associated with executive dysfunction. The involvement of different components of executive functions (EF) in these forms of behavioural addiction is unclear. AIM In a systematic review, we aim to uncover the association between working memory (WM), a crucial component of EF, and disordered gaming and gambling. Note that, in the context of this review, gaming has been used synonymously with video gaming. METHODS Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), we systematically searched for studies published from 2012 onwards. RESULTS The search yielded 6081 records after removing duplicates, from which 17 peer-reviewed journal articles were eligible for inclusion. The association between WM and problem or disordered gaming and gambling have been categorized separately to observe possible differences. Essentially, problem gaming or gambling, compared to disorder, presents lesser severity and clinical significance. The results demonstrate reduced auditory-verbal WM in individuals with gambling disorder. Decreased WM capacity was also associated with problem gambling, with a correlation between problem gambling severity and decreased WM capacity. Similarly, gaming disorder was associated with decreased WM. Specifically, gaming disorder patients had lower WM capacity than the healthy controls. CONCLUSION Working memory seems to be a significant predictor of gambling and gaming disorders. Therefore, holistic treatment approaches that incorporate cognitive techniques that could enhance working memory may significantly boost gambling and gaming disorders treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Ngetich
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | - Tyrone L Burleigh
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | - Andrea Czakó
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Teodóra Vékony
- INSERM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, Bron, France
| | - Dezso Németh
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; INSERM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, Bron, France; Brain, Memory and Language Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Demetrovics
- Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
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9
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van Timmeren T, Piray P, Goudriaan AE, van Holst RJ. Goal-directed and habitual decision making under stress in gambling disorder: An fMRI study. Addict Behav 2023; 140:107628. [PMID: 36716563 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The development of addictive behaviors has been suggested to be related to a transition from goal-directed to habitual decision making. Stress is a factor known to prompt habitual behavior and to increase the risk for addiction and relapse. In the current study, we therefore used functional MRI to investigate the balance between goal-directed 'model-based' and habitual 'model-free' control systems and whether acute stress would differentially shift this balance in gambling disorder (GD) patients compared to healthy controls (HCs). Using a within-subject design, 22 patients with GD and 20 HCs underwent stress induction or a control condition before performing a multistep decision-making task during fMRI. Salivary cortisol levels showed that the stress induction was successful. Contrary to our hypothesis, GD patients did not show impaired goal-directed 'model-based' decision making, which remained similar to HCs after stress induction. Bayes factors provided three times more evidence against a difference between the groups or a group-by-stress interaction on the balance between model-based and model-free decision making. Similarly, no differences were found between groups and conditions on the neural estimates of model-based or model-free decision making. These results challenge the notion that GD is related to an increased reliance on habitual (or decreased goal-directed) control, even during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim van Timmeren
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Habit Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Social Health and Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
| | - Payam Piray
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Anna E Goudriaan
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Arkin Mental Health, The Netherlands
| | - Ruth J van Holst
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Goldway N, Eldar E, Shoval G, Hartley CA. Computational Mechanisms of Addiction and Anxiety: A Developmental Perspective. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:739-750. [PMID: 36775050 PMCID: PMC10038924 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
A central goal of computational psychiatry is to identify systematic relationships between transdiagnostic dimensions of psychiatric symptomatology and the latent learning and decision-making computations that inform individuals' thoughts, feelings, and choices. Most psychiatric disorders emerge prior to adulthood, yet little work has extended these computational approaches to study the development of psychopathology. Here, we lay out a roadmap for future studies implementing this approach by developing empirically and theoretically informed hypotheses about how developmental changes in model-based control of action and Pavlovian learning processes may modulate vulnerability to anxiety and addiction. We highlight how insights from studies leveraging computational approaches to characterize the normative developmental trajectories of clinically relevant learning and decision-making processes may suggest promising avenues for future developmental computational psychiatry research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Goldway
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Eran Eldar
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Gal Shoval
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; Child and Adolescent Division, Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, Israel; Department of Psychiatry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Catherine A Hartley
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York.
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11
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Hales CA, Clark L, Winstanley CA. Computational approaches to modeling gambling behaviour: Opportunities for understanding disordered gambling. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105083. [PMID: 36758827 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Computational modeling has become an important tool in neuroscience and psychiatry research to provide insight into the cognitive processes underlying normal and pathological behavior. There are two modeling frameworks, reinforcement learning (RL) and drift diffusion modeling (DDM), that are well-developed in cognitive science, and have begun to be applied to Gambling Disorder. RL models focus on explaining how an agent uses reward to learn about the environment and make decisions based on outcomes. The DDM is a binary choice framework that breaks down decision making into psychologically meaningful components based on choice reaction time analyses. Both approaches have begun to yield insight into aspects of cognition that are important for, but not unique to, gambling, and thus relevant to the development of Gambling Disorder. However, these approaches also oversimplify or neglect various aspects of decision making seen in real-world gambling behavior. Gambling Disorder presents an opportunity for 'bespoke' modeling approaches to consider these neglected components. In this review, we discuss studies that have used RL and DDM frameworks to investigate some of the key cognitive components in gambling and Gambling Disorder. We also include an overview of Bayesian models, a methodology that could be useful for more tailored modeling approaches. We highlight areas in which computational modeling could enable progression in the investigation of the cognitive mechanisms relevant to gambling.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Hales
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - L Clark
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C A Winstanley
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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12
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Delfabbro P, King D, Parke J. The complex nature of human operant gambling behaviour involving slot games: Structural characteristics, verbal rules and motivation. Addict Behav 2023; 137:107540. [PMID: 36371859 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107540] [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: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Gambling behaviour is likely to be strongly influenced by operant learning principles. Most forms of gambling, and most notably slot machine play, follow a random ratio (RR) schedule of reinforcement that should lead to rapid and extinction-resistant behaviour. In this paper we highlight the caveats that need to be applied when generalising animal models of learning to human behaviour. Studies need to be cognisant of the role of verbal rules and cognitive appraisals of contingency; the ability for participants to self-modify important elements of reward schedules; potential differences between concurrent and longitudinal schedule preferences; and, the role of important human motivations in financial decision-making. In particular, we believe that operant approaches to gambling may need to incorporate a greater focus on FOMO (or the fear of missing out) as a motivational construct that may explain some of the observed patterns of behaviour, including riskier behaviours, on slot games. The implications of these observations for future research and harm minimisation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Delfabbro
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Daniel King
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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13
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Mata JL, Miranda Gálvez AL, López Torrecillas F, Miccoli L. Cardiac sensitivity to rewards in cognitively inflexible nonclinical participants. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15318. [PMID: 37180586 PMCID: PMC10174053 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In psychopathologies characterized by compulsive decision-making, core impairments include cognitive inflexibility and excessive sensitivity to rewards. It has been posited that traits shared by nonclinical individuals and psychiatric patients could help explain the pathogenesis of compulsive decision-making. Methods To investigate whether cognitive inflexibility predisposes nonclinical individuals to poor choices and hyper-reactivity to reward, we recruited people with high and low scores for cognitive persistence and used the Iowa Gambling Task to assess decision-making and cardiac reactivity to monetary gains/losses. Results As is frequently observed in psychophysiological research, the data indicated discrepancies among self-reports, behavior, and physiology. Cognitive inflexibility was not related to worse performance; however, monetary gains, in line with the literature, prompted marked cardiac accelerations. Consistent with our research goal, only inflexible participants showed large cardiac accelerations during the largest monetary wins. Discussion Taken together, the data confirm an association between cognitive persistence and physiological reward sensitivity in a nonclinical population. The findings are in line with recent theories on the development of compulsive behaviors that consider cognitive inflexibility as a transdiagnostic impairment and predisposing factor for excessive reactivity to rewards, and might act both as a preexisting individual trait and drug-induced deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Mata
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | | | - Francisca López Torrecillas
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | - Laura Miccoli
- Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences, University of Jaén, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain
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14
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Mathar D, Erfanian Abdoust M, Marrenbach T, Tuzsus D, Peters J. The catecholamine precursor Tyrosine reduces autonomic arousal and decreases decision thresholds in reinforcement learning and temporal discounting. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010785. [PMID: 36548401 PMCID: PMC9822114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplementation with the catecholamine precursor L-Tyrosine might enhance cognitive performance, but overall findings are mixed. Here, we investigate the effect of a single dose of tyrosine (2g) vs. placebo on two catecholamine-dependent trans-diagnostic traits: model-based control during reinforcement learning (2-step task) and temporal discounting, using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject design (n = 28 healthy male participants). We leveraged drift diffusion models in a hierarchical Bayesian framework to jointly model participants' choices and response times (RTS) in both tasks. Furthermore, comprehensive autonomic monitoring (heart rate, heart rate variability, pupillometry, spontaneous eye blink rate) was performed both pre- and post-supplementation, to explore potential physiological effects of supplementation. Across tasks, tyrosine consistently reduced participants' RTs without deteriorating task-performance. Diffusion modeling linked this effect to attenuated decision-thresholds in both tasks and further revealed increased model-based control (2-step task) and (if anything) attenuated temporal discounting. On the physiological level, participants' pupil dilation was predictive of the individual degree of temporal discounting. Tyrosine supplementation reduced physiological arousal as revealed by increases in pupil dilation variability and reductions in heart rate. Supplementation-related changes in physiological arousal predicted individual changes in temporal discounting. Our findings provide first evidence that tyrosine supplementation might impact psychophysiological parameters, and suggest that modeling approaches based on sequential sampling models can yield novel insights into latent cognitive processes modulated by amino-acid supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mathar
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Mani Erfanian Abdoust
- Biological Psychology of Decision Making, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Tobias Marrenbach
- Biological Psychology of Decision Making, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Deniz Tuzsus
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Peters
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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15
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Wyckmans F, Banerjee N, Saeremans M, Otto R, Kornreich C, Vanderijst L, Gruson D, Carbone V, Bechara A, Buchanan T, Noël X. The modulation of acute stress on model-free and model-based reinforcement learning in gambling disorder. J Behav Addict 2022; 11:831-844. [PMID: 36112488 PMCID: PMC9872530 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2022.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Experiencing acute stress is common in behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder. Additionally, like most substance-induced addictions, aberrant decision-making wherein a reactive habit-induced response (conceptualized as a Model-free [MF] in reinforcement learning) suppresses a flexible goal-directed response (conceptualized as a Model-based [MB]) is also common in gambling disorder. In the current study we investigated the influence of acute stress on the balance between habitual response and the goal-directed system. METHODS A sample of N = 116 problem gamblers (PG) and healthy controls (HC) performed an acute stress task - the Socially Evaluated Cold pressure task (SECPT) - or a control task. Self-reported stress and salivary cortisol were collected as measures of acute stress. Following the SECPT, participants performed the Two-Step Markov Task to account for the relative contribution of MB and MF strategies. Additionally, verbal working memory and IQ measures were collected to account for their mediating effects on the orchestration between MB/MF and the impact of stress. RESULTS Both groups had comparable baseline and stress-induced cortisol response to the SECPT. Non-stressed PG displayed lower MB learning than HC. MANOVA and regression analyses showed a deleterious effect of stress-induced cortisol response on the orchestration between MB and MF learning in HC but not in PG. These effects remained when controlling for working memory and IQ. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS We found an abnormal pattern of modulation of stress on the orchestration between MB and MF learning among PG. Several interpretations and future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Wyckmans
- Psychological Medicine Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nilosmita Banerjee
- Psychological Medicine Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mélanie Saeremans
- Psychiatric Institute, Universitary Hospital Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ross Otto
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Charles Kornreich
- Psychological Medicine Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium,Psychiatric Institute, Universitary Hospital Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laetitia Vanderijst
- Psychological Medicine Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Damien Gruson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vincenzo Carbone
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Antoine Bechara
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Tony Buchanan
- Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, USA
| | - Xavier Noël
- Psychological Medicine Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium,Corresponding author. E-mail:
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16
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Wagner B, Mathar D, Peters J. Gambling Environment Exposure Increases Temporal Discounting but Improves Model-Based Control in Regular Slot-Machine Gamblers. COMPUTATIONAL PSYCHIATRY (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 6:142-165. [PMID: 38774777 PMCID: PMC11104401 DOI: 10.5334/cpsy.84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that negatively impacts personal finances, work, relationships and mental health. In this pre-registered study (https://osf.io/5ptz9/) we investigated the impact of real-life gambling environments on two computational markers of addiction, temporal discounting and model-based reinforcement learning. Gambling disorder is associated with increased temporal discounting and reduced model-based learning. Regular gamblers (n = 30, DSM-5 score range 3-9) performed both tasks in a neutral (café) and a gambling-related environment (slot-machine venue) in counterbalanced order. Data were modeled using drift diffusion models for temporal discounting and reinforcement learning via hierarchical Bayesian estimation. Replicating previous findings, gamblers discounted rewards more steeply in the gambling-related context. This effect was positively correlated with gambling related cognitive distortions (pre-registered analysis). In contrast to our pre-registered hypothesis, model-based reinforcement learning was improved in the gambling context. Here we show that temporal discounting and model-based reinforcement learning are modulated in opposite ways by real-life gambling cue exposure. Results challenge aspects of habit theories of addiction, and reveal that laboratory-based computational markers of psychopathology are under substantial contextual control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Wagner
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Neuroimaging, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - David Mathar
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Peters
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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17
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Ferrari MA, Limbrick-Oldfield EH, Clark L. Behavioral analysis of habit formation in modern slot machine gambling. INTERNATIONAL GAMBLING STUDIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14459795.2022.2088822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario A. Ferrari
- Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Eve H. Limbrick-Oldfield
- Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Luke Clark
- Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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18
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Kinley I, Amlung M, Becker S. Pathologies of precision: A Bayesian account of goals, habits, and episodic foresight in addiction. Brain Cogn 2022; 158:105843. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2022.105843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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19
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Noël X, Saeremans M, Kornreich C, Chatard A, Jaafari N, D'Argembeau A. Reduced calibration between subjective and objective measures of episodic future thinking in alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:300-311. [PMID: 35181906 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A reduced capacity to mentally simulate future scenarios could be of clinical importance in alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying episodic future thinking (EFT) impairment in AUD. METHODS We tested patients with severe AUD using two measures of EFT: the individual's own subjective experience of their imaginings (phenomenology) and the objective number of details included in imagined events, as assessed by an independent observer (examination). The comparison between the two measures allowed us to investigate the extent to which the subjective and objective characteristics of EFT are calibrated in healthy and AUD participants matched for age, education, and gender. The possible impact of cognitive functioning and disturbed mood on EFT measures was also investigated. RESULTS In terms of objective details of EFT, patients with AUD (n = 40) generated fewer episodic components and more non-episodic components than control participants (n = 40), even when controlling for cognitive functioning. However, self-ratings of phenomenological characteristics indicated that participants with AUD perceived imagined future events at a similar level of detail as control participants. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between objective and subjective measures in healthy individuals but not in the AUD group. A higher depression score in the AUD group was not associated with the EFT measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a distorted self-assessment of the richness of imagined future events in individuals with AUD. We discuss these apparent limitations in metacognitive abilities and verbal descriptions of imagined events among individuals with AUD and their clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Noël
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale et d'Addictologie, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), CHU Brugmann-Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mélanie Saeremans
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale et d'Addictologie (ULB), Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Charles Kornreich
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale et d'Addictologie, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), CHU Brugmann-Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Brussels, Belgium.,Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale et d'Addictologie (ULB), Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Armand Chatard
- UMR-7295 CNRS, Faculté de Psychologie, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Nemet Jaafari
- Unité de Recherche Clinique Pierre Deniker du Centre Hospitalier Henri Laborit, INSERM CIC-P 1402, Poitiers, France.,INSERM U 1084 Laboratoire Expérimental et Clinique en Neurosciences, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Arnaud D'Argembeau
- Unité de Recherche en Psychologie et Neuroscience Cognitives, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
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20
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Byrne KA, Six SG, Willis HC. Examining the effect of depressive symptoms on habit formation and habit-breaking. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2021; 73:101676. [PMID: 34298256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dysfunction in reward processing is a hallmark feature of depression. In the context of reinforcement learning, previous research has linked depression with reliance on simple habit-driven ('model-free') learning strategies over more complex, goal-directed ('model-based') strategies. However, the relationship between depression and habit-breaking remains an under-explored research area. The current study sought to bridge this gap by investigating the effect of depressive symptoms on habit formation and habit-breaking under monetary and social feedback conditions. Additionally, we examined whether spontaneous eyeblink rate (EBR), an indirect marker for striatal dopamine levels, would modulate such effects. METHODS Depressive symptoms were operationalized using self-report measures. To examine differences in habit formation and habit breaking, undergraduate participants (N = 156) completed a two-stage reinforcement learning task with a devaluation procedure using either monetary or social feedback. RESULTS Regression results showed that in the monetary feedback condition, spontaneous EBR moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and model-free strategies; individuals with more depressive symptomatology and high EBR (higher dopamine levels) exhibited increased reliance on model-free strategies. Depressive symptoms negatively predicted devaluation sensitivity, indicative of difficulty in habit-breaking, in both monetary and social feedback contexts. LIMITATIONS Social feedback relied on fixed feedback rather than real-time peer evaluations; depressive symptoms were measured using self-report rather than diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder; dopaminergic functioning was measured using EBR rather than PET imaging; potential confounds were not controlled for. CONCLUSIONS These findings have implications for identifying altered patterns of habit formation and deficits in habit-breaking among those experiencing depressive symptoms.
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21
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Computational Mechanisms of Addiction: Recent Evidence and Its Relevance to Addiction Medicine. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00399-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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22
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Fronto-striatal structures related with model-based control as an endophenotype for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11951. [PMID: 34099768 PMCID: PMC8185095 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91179-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent theories suggest a shift from model-based goal-directed to model-free habitual decision-making in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, it is yet unclear, whether this shift in the decision process is heritable. We investigated 32 patients with OCD, 27 unaffected siblings (SIBs) and 31 healthy controls (HCs) using the two-step task. We computed behavioral and reaction time analyses and fitted a computational model to assess the balance between model-based and model-free control. 80 subjects also underwent structural imaging. We observed a significant ordered effect for the shift towards model-free control in the direction OCD > SIB > HC in our computational parameter of interest. However less directed analyses revealed no shift towards model-free control in OCDs. Nonetheless, we found evidence for reduced model-based control in OCDs compared to HCs and SIBs via 2nd stage reaction time analyses. In this measure SIBs also showed higher levels of model-based control than HCs. Across all subjects these effects were associated with the surface area of the left medial/right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Moreover, correlations between bilateral putamen/right caudate volumes and these effects varied as a function of group: they were negative in SIBs and OCDs, but positive in HCs. Associations between fronto-striatal regions and model-based reaction time effects point to a potential endophenotype for OCD.
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23
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Rmus M, McDougle SD, Collins AGE. The role of executive function in shaping reinforcement learning. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021; 38:66-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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24
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Mestre-Bach G, Fernández-Aranda F, Jiménez-Murcia S, Potenza MN. Decision-Making in Gambling Disorder, Problematic Pornography Use, and Binge-Eating Disorder: Similarities and Differences. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2021; 7:97-108. [PMID: 33585161 DOI: 10.1007/s40473-020-00212-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The present review attempts to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of the neurocognitive mechanisms of gambling disorder (GD), problematic pornography use (PPU) and binge-eating disorder (BED), focusing specifically on decision-making processes. Recent findings GD, PPU and BED have been associated with decision-making impairments both under risk and ambiguity. Features such as intelligence, emotions, social variables, cognitive distortions, comorbidities, or arousal may condition decision-making processes in these individuals. Summary Impairments in decision-making seem to be a shared transdiagnostic feature of these disorders We also hypothesized the EG relative to the NEG group would demonstrate weaker relationships between problem-gambling severity and health/functioning measures (e.g., substance use) and gambling behaviors (e.g., more time spent gambling) given that EG would account for some of the variance in the relationships between ARPG and these measures. However, there is varying support for the degree to which different features may affect decision-making. Therefore, the study of decision-making processes can provide crucial evidence for understanding addictions and other disorders with addiction-like symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Mestre-Bach
- Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Aranda
- Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Jiménez-Murcia
- Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA.,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
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25
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Wyckmans F, Chatard A, Saeremans M, Kornreich C, Jaafari N, Fantini-Hauwel C, Noël X. Habitual Routines and Automatic Tendencies Differential Roles in Alcohol Misuse Among Undergraduates. Front Psychol 2021; 11:607866. [PMID: 33408673 PMCID: PMC7779402 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.607866] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a debate over whether actions that resist devaluation (i.e., compulsive alcohol consumption) are primarily habit- or goal-directed. The incentive habit account of compulsive actions has received support from behavioral paradigms and brain imaging. In addition, the self-reported Creature of Habit Scale (COHS) has been proposed to capture inter-individual differences in habitual tendencies. It is subdivided into two dimensions: routine and automaticity. We first considered a French version of this questionnaire for validation, based on a sample of 386 undergraduates. The relationship between two dimensions of habit and the risk of substance use disorder and impulsive personality traits was also investigated. COHS has good psychometric properties with both features of habits positively associated with an Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory score. Besides, the propensity to rely more on routines was associated with lower levels of alcohol abuse and nicotine use, suggesting that some degree of routine might act as a protective factor against substance use. In contrast, a high automaticity score was associated with an increased risk of harmful alcohol use. These results demonstrate that the COHS is a valid measure of habitual tendencies and represents a useful tool for capturing inter-individual variations in drug use problems in undergraduates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Wyckmans
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Armand Chatard
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Mélanie Saeremans
- Psychiatric Institute, Universitary Hospital Brugmann, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Charles Kornreich
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.,Psychiatric Institute, Universitary Hospital Brugmann, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Nemat Jaafari
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Carole Fantini-Hauwel
- Research Centre of Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology and Psychosomatic, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xavier Noël
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Médicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
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26
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Gillan CM. Recent Developments in the Habit Hypothesis of OCD and Compulsive Disorders. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 49:147-167. [PMID: 33547600 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_199] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This chapter aims to familiarise the reader with a diverse and fast-growing literature concerning the role that habits play in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Core concepts will be introduced, including how the balance between habits and a more deliberate form of action selection (goal-directed control) has traditionally been measured and how cross-species translation, neuroscience tools, and computational modelling have been used to build on these basic principles and reveal core mechanisms under study today. Next, the application of these methods to the study of OCD and related disorders will be detailed, converging on a theory that enhanced habit expression, and indeed compulsions in OCD, might arise from deficits in goal-directed control systems. These basic findings will be contextualised in terms of major tide changes in the field, including the shift from categorical disease frameworks to dimensional ones. Mechanistically, recent research concerning how goal-directed deficits arise, perhaps through failures in the construction of a mental model, are discussed along with studies critically evaluating our ability to measure habits in humans, in a laboratory setting. The chapter ends with a nod to the future, focusing on the need for clinically oriented, longitudinal, and intervention-based research that aim to translate what is now a wealth of cross-sectional mechanistic insights to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Gillan
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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27
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Foerde K, Daw ND, Rufin T, Walsh BT, Shohamy D, Steinglass JE. Deficient Goal-Directed Control in a Population Characterized by Extreme Goal Pursuit. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:463-481. [PMID: 33284076 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Research in computational psychiatry has sought to understand the basis of compulsive behavior by relating it to basic psychological and neural mechanisms: specifically, goal-directed versus habitual control. These psychological categories have been further identified with formal computational algorithms, model-based and model-free learning, which helps to provide quantitative tools to distinguish them. Computational psychiatry may be particularly useful for examining phenomena in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), whose self-starvation appears both excessively goal directed and habitual. However, these laboratory-based studies have not aimed to examine complex behavior, as seen outside the laboratory, in contexts that extend beyond monetary rewards. We therefore assessed (1) whether behavior in AN was characterized by enhanced or diminished model-based behavior, (2) the domain specificity of any abnormalities by comparing learning in a food-specific (i.e., illness-relevant) context as well as in a monetary context, and (3) whether impairments were secondary to starvation by comparing learning before and after initial treatment. Across all conditions, individuals with AN, relative to healthy controls, showed an impairment in model-based, but not model-free, learning, suggesting a general and persistent contribution of habitual over goal-directed control, across domains and time points. Thus, eating behavior in individuals with AN that appears very goal-directed may be under more habitual than goal-directed control, and this is not remediated by achieving weight restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Foerde
- New York State Psychiatric Institute.,Columbia University Irving Medical Center
| | | | | | - B Timothy Walsh
- New York State Psychiatric Institute.,Columbia University Irving Medical Center
| | | | - Joanna E Steinglass
- New York State Psychiatric Institute.,Columbia University Irving Medical Center
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Raio CM, Konova AB, Otto AR. Trait impulsivity and acute stress interact to influence choice and decision speed during multi-stage decision-making. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7754. [PMID: 32385327 PMCID: PMC7210896 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64540-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Impulsivity and stress exposure are two factors that are associated with changes in reward-related behavior in ways that are relevant to both healthy and maladaptive decision-making. Nonetheless, little empirical work has examined the possible independent and joint effects of these factors upon reward learning. Here, we sought to examine how trait impulsivity and acute stress exposure affect participants' choice behavior and decision speed in a two-stage sequential reinforcement-learning task. We found that more impulsive participants were more likely to repeat second-stage choices after previous reward, irrespective of stress condition. Exposure to stress, on the other hand, was associated with an increased tendency to repeat second-stage choices independent of whether these choices previously led to a reward, and this tendency was exacerbated in more impulsive individuals. Such interaction effects between stress and impulsivity were also found on decision speed. Stress and impulsivity levels interacted to drive faster choices overall (again irrespective of reward) at both task stages, while reward received on the previous trial slowed subsequent first-stage choices, particularly among impulsive individuals under stress. Collectively, our results reveal novel, largely interactive effects of trait impulsivity and stress exposure and suggest that stress may reveal individual differences in decision-making tied to impulsivity that are not readily apparent in the absence of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candace M Raio
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Anna B Konova
- Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, Piscataway, USA
| | - A Ross Otto
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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