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Ahmad AH, Zabri SH, Roslan SM, Ayob NA, Abd Hamid AI, Mohd Taib NH, Mohamad N, Othman Z, Tamam S, Marzuki AA, Zakaria R. Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Human Reward System Research: A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualisation of Current Research Trends. Malays J Med Sci 2024; 31:111-125. [PMID: 39247106 PMCID: PMC11377000 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.4.9] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The human reward system has been extensively studied using neuroimaging. This bibliometric analysis aimed to determine the global trend in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and human reward research in terms of the number of documents, the most active countries and their collaborating countries, the top journals and institutions, the most prominent authors and most cited articles, and research hotspots. Methods The research datasets were acquired from the Scopus database. The search terms used were 'reward' AND 'human' AND 'diffusion imaging' OR 'diffusion tensor imaging' OR 'diffusion MRI' OR 'diffusion-weighted imaging' OR 'tractography' in the abstract, article title and keywords. A total of 336 publications were analysed using Harzing's Publish or Perish and VOSviewer software. Results The results revealed an upward trend in the number of publications with the highest number of articles in 2020 and 2022. Most publications were limited to countries, authors, and institutions in the USA, China and Europe. Bracht, Coenen, Wiest, Federspiel and Feng were among the top authors from Switzerland, Germany and the UK. Neuroimage, Neuroimage Clinical, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Human Brain Mapping, and the Journal of Neuroscience were the top journals. Among the top articles, six were reviews and four were original articles, while the top keywords in human reward research were 'diffusion MRI', 'adolescence', 'depression' and 'reward-related brain areas'. Conclusion These findings may serve as researchers' references to find collaborative authors, relevant journals, cooperative countries/institutions, and hot topics related to dMRI and reward research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Hayati Ahmad
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
- Brain & Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Siti Hajar Zabri
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Siti Mariam Roslan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Nur Ayunie Ayob
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Aini Ismafairus Abd Hamid
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
- Brain & Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Nur Hartini Mohd Taib
- Department of Radiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Nasibah Mohamad
- Department of Radiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Zahiruddin Othman
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Sofina Tamam
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Malaysia
| | - Aleya Aziz Marzuki
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Rahimah Zakaria
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
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Rosenberg BM, Barnes-Horowitz NM, Zbozinek TD, Craske MG. Reward processes in extinction learning and applications to exposure therapy. J Anxiety Disord 2024; 106:102911. [PMID: 39128178 PMCID: PMC11384290 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102911] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are common and highly distressing mental health conditions. Exposure therapy is a gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders. Mechanisms of Pavlovian fear learning, and particularly fear extinction, are central to exposure therapy. A growing body of evidence suggests an important role of reward processes during Pavlovian fear extinction. Nonetheless, predominant models of exposure therapy do not currently incorporate reward processes. Herein, we present a theoretical model of reward processes in relation to Pavlovian mechanisms of exposure therapy, including a focus on dopaminergic prediction error signaling, coinciding positive emotional experiences (i.e., relief), and unexpected positive outcomes. We then highlight avenues for further research and discuss potential strategies to leverage reward processes to maximize exposure therapy response, such as pre-exposure interventions to increase reward sensitivity or post-exposure rehearsal (e.g., savoring, imaginal recounting strategies) to enhance retrieval and retention of learned associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Rosenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Nora M Barnes-Horowitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Tomislav D Zbozinek
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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3
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Duda JM, Moser AD, Ironside M, Null KE, Holsen LM, Zuo CS, Du F, Esfand SM, Chen X, Perlo S, Richards CE, Lobien R, Alexander M, Misra M, Goldstein JM, Pizzagalli DA. Effects of GABA, Sex, and Stress on Reward Learning in Current and Remitted Major Depression. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:606-615. [PMID: 38417785 PMCID: PMC11156537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.009] [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] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive factors including aberrant reward learning, blunted GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and potentiated stress sensitivity have been linked to anhedonia, a hallmark depressive symptom, possibly in a sex-dependent manner. However, previous research has not investigated the putative associations among these factors or the extent to which they represent trait- or state-based vulnerabilities for depression. METHODS Young adults with current major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 44), remitted MDD (n = 42), and healthy control participants (HCs) (n = 44), stratified by sex assigned at birth, underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess macromolecular contaminated GABA (GABA+) and then a reward learning task before and after acute stress. We assessed changes in reward learning after stress and associations with GABA+. RESULTS Results revealed blunted baseline reward learning in participants with remitted MDD versus participants with current MDD and HCs but, surprisingly, no differences between participants with current MDD and HCs. Reward learning was reduced following acute stress regardless of depressive history. GABA+ in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, but not the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, was associated with reduced baseline reward learning only in female participants. GABA+ did not predict stress-related changes in reward learning. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate associations among GABA, reward learning, and stress reactivity in current versus past depression. Hypothesized depression-related differences in reward learning did not emerge, precluding claims about state versus trait vulnerabilities. However, our finding that blunted GABA was associated with greater reward learning in female participants provides novel insights into sex-selective associations between the frontal GABAergic inhibitory system and reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amelia D Moser
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Maria Ironside
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chun S Zuo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Fei Du
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Xi Chen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah Perlo
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Christine E Richards
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel Lobien
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madeline Alexander
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.
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4
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Esfand SM, Null KE, Duda JM, de Leeuw J, Pizzagalli DA. Lifetime history of major depressive disorder is associated with decreased reward learning: Evidence from a novel online version of the probabilistic reward task. J Affect Disord 2024; 350:1007-1015. [PMID: 38278332 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.133] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) is a signal detection task that assesses reward learning. In laboratory versions of the task, individuals with current or past major depressive disorder (MDD) were characterized by reduced response bias towards a more frequently rewarded stimuli, compared to controls. Our main goal was to develop and validate a novel online version of the PRT, and, in exploratory analyses, evaluate whether lifetime history of depression was associated with blunted reward learning. METHODS 429 participants recruited via CloudResearch completed questionnaires assessing psychiatric history and an online PRT featuring visually appealing stimuli. 108 participants reported either current or past diagnosis of MDD (lifetime MDD group), and were compared to 321 without lifetime MDD. RESULTS Participants showed overall increase in response bias, validating the online PRT. Females with lifetime MDD (N = 43), compared to females without prior history of MDD (N = 173), exhibited blunted response bias towards the more frequently rewarded stimulus (i.e., reduced reward learning). LIMITATIONS Participants did not undergo a structured clinical interview, thus we cannot confirm whether they met full diagnostic criteria for depression. CONCLUSIONS The online PRT yielded similar psychometric properties as laboratory versions of the task. In exploratory analyses, females with lifetime MDD showed a lower propensity to modulate behavior as a function of rewards, which might contribute to heightened vulnerability for developing MDD in females. Future studies should consider social, cultural, and neurobiological factors contributing to sex differences in reward responsiveness and how factors may relate to disease prognosis and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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Copenhaver AE, LeGates TA. Sex-specific mechanisms underlie long-term potentiation at hippocampus-nucleus accumbens synapses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575709. [PMID: 38293132 PMCID: PMC10827060 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences have complicated our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many behaviors that are key for survival. As such, continued elucidation of the similarities and differences between sexes is necessary in order to gain insight into brain function and vulnerability. The connection between the hippocampus (Hipp) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a crucial site where modulation of neuronal activity mediates reward-related behavior. Our previous work demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) of Hipp-NAc synapses is rewarding, and that mice can make learned associations between LTP of these synapses and the contextual environment in which LTP occurred. Here, we investigate sex differences in the mechanisms underlying Hipp-NAc LTP using whole-cell electrophysiology and pharmacology. We found that males and females display similar magnitudes of Hipp-NAc LTP which occurs postsynaptically. However, LTP in females requires L-type voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels (VGCC) for postsynaptic Ca 2+ influx, while males rely on NMDA receptors (NMDAR). Additionally, females require estrogen receptor α (ERα) activity for LTP while males do not. These differential mechanisms converge as LTP in both sexes depends on CAMKII activity and occurs independently of dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) activation. Our results have elucidated sex-specific molecular mechanisms for LTP in an integral excitatory pathway that mediates reward-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a variable in mechanistic studies. Continued characterization of sex-specific mechanisms underlying plasticity will offer novel insight into the neurophysiological basis of behavior, with significant implications for understanding how diverse processes mediate behavior and contribute to vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Strengthening of Hipp-NAc synapses drives reward-related behaviors. Male and female mice have similar magnitudes of long-term potentiation (LTP) and both sexes have a predicted postsynaptic locus of plasticity. Despite these similarities, we illustrate here that sex-specific molecular mechanisms are used to elicit LTP. Given the bidirectional relationship between Hipp-NAc synaptic strength in mediating reward-related behaviors, the use of distinct molecular mechanisms may explain sex differences observed in stress susceptibility or response to rewarding stimuli. Discovery and characterization of convergent sex differences provides mechanistic insight into the sex-specific function of Hipp-NAc circuitry and has widespread implications for circuits mediating learning and reward-related behavior.
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Rochat L, Rothen S, Edel Y, Penzenstadler L, Lecomte T, Potvin S, Dan Glauser E, Etter JF, Khazaal Y. Measurement invariance of the Marijuana Motives Measure among men and women using Stop Cannabis App. Addict Behav 2024; 148:107866. [PMID: 37748226 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107866] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motives to use cannabis play a central role in the development and maintenance of problematic cannabis use and previous studies stressed sex-related differences on motives to use cannabis. However, motives cannot be validly compared in men and women without first establishing the measurement invariance across sex. Therefore, the aim of the study is to (1) examine for the first time the measurement and structural invariance of the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM) across sex, and (2) to investigate the motives for cannabis use that best explain problematic use. METHODS 2951 (41.7% women) users of the "Stop cannabis" smartphone app of which 99.8% reported having used cannabis in the last three months completed an online MMM and ASSIST to assess the severity of their problematic cannabis use. RESULTS Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported measurement invariance across sex, whereas structural invariance was not confirmed. Indeed, group comparisons indicated that women reported greater coping motives then men whereas men showed greater social motives than women. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that only coping and conformity motives were significantly associated with greater problematic cannabis use, whereas neither sex nor the sex by motives interactions were significantly related to problematic cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS The MMM appears to function comparably across men and women. Therefore, sex-related comparisons on the questionnaire can be considered valid. Coping and conformity motives may play a central role part in the development of marijuana use problems which may hold implications for intervention development and public policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucien Rochat
- Specialized Facility in Behavioral Addiction ReConnecte, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance, Brig, Switzerland.
| | - Stéphane Rothen
- Addiction Division, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Research Center for Statistics, Geneva School of Management and Economics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Yves Edel
- ELSA , GHU Pitié-Salpétrière, Sorbonne-Université Paris, Paris, France.
| | - Louise Penzenstadler
- Addiction Division, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Tania Lecomte
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal and Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Stephane Potvin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal and Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Elise Dan Glauser
- Institute of Psychology, Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | | | - Yasser Khazaal
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal and Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada; Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland; Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Saito A, Sato W, Yoshikawa S. Sex differences in the rapid detection of neutral faces associated with emotional value. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:84. [PMID: 37964327 PMCID: PMC10644416 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00567-y] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid detection of faces with emotional meaning is essential for understanding the emotions of others, possibly promoting successful interpersonal relationships. Although few studies have examined sex differences in the ability to detect emotional faces, it remains unclear whether faces with emotional meaning capture the attention of females and males differently, because emotional faces have visual saliency that modulates visual attention. To overcome this issue, we tested the rapid detection of the neutral faces associated with and without learned emotional value, which are all regarded as free from visual saliency. We examined sex differences in the rapid detection of the neutral female and male faces associated with emotional value. METHODS First, young adult female and male participants completed an associative learning task in which neutral faces were associated with either monetary rewards, monetary punishments, or no monetary outcomes, such that the neutral faces acquired positive, negative, and no emotional value, respectively. Then, they engaged in a visual search task in which previously learned neutral faces were presented as discrepant faces among newly presented neutral distractor faces. During the visual search task, the participants were required to rapidly identify discrepant faces. RESULTS Female and male participants exhibited comparable learning abilities. The visual search results demonstrated that female participants achieved rapid detection of neutral faces associated with emotional value irrespective of the sex of the faces presented, whereas male participants showed this ability only for male faces. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated that sex differences in the ability to rapidly detect neutral faces with emotional value were modulated by the sex of those faces. The results suggest greater sensitivity to faces with emotional significance in females, which might enrich interpersonal communication, regardless of sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akie Saito
- Psychological Process Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan.
| | - Wataru Sato
- Psychological Process Research Team, Guardian Robot Project, RIKEN, 2-2-2 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan
- Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Sakiko Yoshikawa
- Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
- Faculty of the Art and Design, Kyoto University of The Arts, 2-116 Uryuuzan, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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Rasmussen AL, Larsen SV, Ozenne B, Köhler-Forsberg K, Stenbæk DS, Jørgensen MB, Giraldi A, Frokjaer VG. Sexual health and serotonin 4 receptor brain binding in unmedicated patients with depression-a NeuroPharm study. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:247. [PMID: 37414758 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02551-x] [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: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction is prominent in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and affects women with depression more than men. Patients with MDD relative to healthy controls have lower brain levels of the serotonin 4 receptor (5-HT4R), which is expressed with high density in the striatum, i.e. a key hub of the reward system. Reduced sexual desire is putatively related to disturbed reward processing and may index anhedonia in MDD. Here, we aim to illuminate plausible underlying neurobiology of sexual dysfunction in unmedicated patients with MDD. We map associations between 5-HT4R binding, as imaged with [11C]SB207145 PET, in the striatum, and self-reported sexual function. We also evaluate if pre-treatment sexual desire score predicts 8-week treatment outcome in women. From the NeuroPharm study, we include 85 untreated MDD patients (71% women) who underwent eight weeks of antidepressant drug treatment. In the mixed sex group, we find no difference in 5-HT4R binding between patients with sexual dysfunction vs normal sexual function. However, in women we find lower 5-HT4R binding in the sexual dysfunctional group compared to women with normal sexual function (β = -0.36, 95%CI[-0.62:-0.09], p = 0.009) as well as a positive association between sexual desire and 5-HT4R binding (β = 0.07, 95%CI [0.02:0.13], p = 0.012). Sexual desire at baseline do not predict treatment outcome (ROC curve AUC = 52%[36%:67%]) in women. Taken together, we find evidence for a positive association between sexual desire and striatal 5-HT4R availability in women with depression. Interestingly, this raises the question if direct 5-HT4R agonism can target reduced sexual desire or anhedonia in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Søren Vinther Larsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristin Köhler-Forsberg
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Balslev Jørgensen
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Annamaria Giraldi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Sexological Clinic, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Rivera-Irizarry JK, Hámor PU, Rowson SA, Asfouri J, Liu D, Zallar LJ, Garcia AF, Skelly MJ, Pleil KE. Valence and salience encoding by parallel circuits from the paraventricular thalamus to the nucleus accumbens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.03.547570. [PMID: 37461604 PMCID: PMC10349961 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.03.547570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The anterior and posterior subregions of the paraventricular thalamus (aPVT and pPVT, respectively) play unique roles in learned behaviors, from fear conditioning to alcohol/drug intake, potentially through differentially organized projections to limbic brain regions including the nucleus accumbens medial shell (mNAcSh). Here, we found that the aPVT projects broadly to the mNAcSh and that the aPVT-mNAcSh circuit encodes positive valence, such that in vivo manipulations of the circuit modulated both innately programmed and learned behavioral responses to positively and negatively valenced stimuli, particularly in females. Further, the endogenous activity of aPVT presynaptic terminals in the mNAcSh was greater in response to positively than negatively valenced stimuli, and the probability of synaptic glutamate release from aPVT neurons in the mNAcSh was higher in females than males. In contrast, we found that the pPVT-mNAcSh circuit encodes stimulus salience regardless of valence. While pPVT-mNAcSh circuit inhibition suppressed behavioral responses in both sexes, circuit activation increased behavioral responses to stimuli only in males. Our results point to circuit-specific stimulus feature encoding by parallel PVT-mNAcSh circuits that have sex-dependent biases in organization and function.
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10
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Li G, Li Y, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Li B, Hao D, Yang L, Yang Y, Li X, Li CSR. Sex differences in externalizing and internalizing traits and ventral striatal responses to monetary loss. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 162:11-20. [PMID: 37062201 PMCID: PMC10225357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.04.013] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Ventral striatum (VS) processes rewarding and punishing stimuli. Women and men vary in externalizing and internalizing traits, which may influence neural responses to reward and punishment. To investigate sex differences in how individual traits influence VS responses to reward and punishment, we curated the data of the Human Connectome Project and identified 981 (473 men) subjects evaluated by the Achenbach Adult Self-Report Syndrome Scales. We processed the imaging data with published routines and extracted VS response (β) to win and to loss vs. baseline in a gambling task for correlation with externalizing and internalizing symptom severity. Men vs. women showed more severe externalizing symptoms and higher VS response to monetary losses (VS-loss β) but not to wins. Men but not women showed a significant, positive correlation between VS-loss β and externalizing traits, and the sex difference was confirmed by a slope test. The correlations of VS-loss vs. externalizing and of VS-win vs. externalizing and those of VS-loss vs. externalizing and of VS-loss vs. internalizing traits both differed significantly in slope, confirming its specificity, in men. Further, the sex-specific relationship between VS-loss β and externalizing trait did not extend to activities during exposure to negative emotion in the face matching task. To conclude, VS responses to loss but not to win and their correlation with externalizing rather than internalizing symptom severity showed sex differences in young adults. The findings highlight the relationship of externalizing traits and VS response to monetary loss and may have implications for psychological models of externalizing behaviors in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangfei Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China.
| | - Yashuang Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bao Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongmei Hao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Yimin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Xuwen Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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11
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Mestre-Bach G, Potenza MN. Potential Biological Markers and Treatment Implications for Binge Eating Disorder and Behavioral Addictions. Nutrients 2023; 15:827. [PMID: 36839185 PMCID: PMC9962023 DOI: 10.3390/nu15040827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The reward system is highly relevant to behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder (GD), internet gaming disorder (IGD), and food addiction/binge eating disorder (FA/BED). Among other brain regions, the ventral striatum (VS) has been implicated in reward processing. The main objective of the present state-of-the-art review was to explore in depth the specific role of the VS in GD, IGD and FA/BED, understanding it as a possible biomarker of these conditions. Studies analyzing brain changes following interventions for these disorders, and especially those that had explored possible treatment-related changes in VS, are discussed. More evidence is needed on how existing treatments (both pharmacological and psychobehavioral) for behavioral addictions affect the activation of the VS and related circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Mestre-Bach
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT 06109, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Child Study Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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12
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Aberrant brain functional hubs convergence in the acute severe traumatic brain injury patients with rapidly recovering. Neuroradiology 2023; 65:145-155. [PMID: 36056968 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-022-03048-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to identify the aberrant functional hubs in patients with acute severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and investigate whether they could help inform prognosis. METHODS Twenty-eight sTBI patients and health controls underwent imaging scanning. The graph-theoretical measure of degree centrality (DC) was applied to identify the abnormal brain functional hubs and conjoined with regions of interest-based analysis to investigate their interaction and impact on whole-brain. We further split sTBI patients into two subgroups according to their recovery to explore whether the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) roles in functional connectivity (FC) differential areas to help inform the patients' long-term prognosis. RESULTS We identified the part of prefrontal cortex (PFC), precentral and postcentral gyrus (Pre-/Post-CG), cingulate gyrus (CgG), posterior medial cortex (PMC), and brainstem that could be core hubs whose DC was significantly increased in patients with acute sTBI. The interaction strength of the paired hubs could be enhanced (CG-PFC, CgG-PFC, CG-brainstem, CgG-brainstem, PMC-brainstem, and PFC-brainstem) and weakened (CG-CgG, CG-PMC, CgG-PMC, and PMC-PFC), compared with healthy controls. We also found abnormal FC in 5 hubs to whole-brain. The spontaneous brain activities in the FC differential regions [e.g., the fALFF and mean fALFF value] were valid to predict outcome at 6-month in patients with sTBI. CONCLUSION We demonstrated a compensatory mechanism that part of brain regions will converge into abnormal functional hubs in patients with acute sTBI, which provides a potential approach to objectively predicting patients' long-term outcome.
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13
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Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a canonical reward center that regulates feeding and drinking but it is not known whether these behaviors are mediated by same or different neurons. We employed two-photon calcium imaging in awake, behaving mice and found that during the appetitive phase, both hunger and thirst are sensed by a nearly identical population of individual D1 and D2 neurons in the NAc that respond monophasically to food cues in fasted animals and water cues in dehydrated animals. During the consummatory phase, we identified three distinct neuronal clusters that are temporally correlated with action initiation, consumption, and cessation shared by feeding and drinking. These dynamic clusters also show a nearly complete overlap of individual D1 neurons and extensive overlap among D2 neurons. Modulating D1 and D2 neural activities revealed analogous effects on feeding versus drinking behaviors. In aggregate, these data show that a highly overlapping set of D1 and D2 neurons in NAc detect food and water reward and elicit concordant responses to hunger and thirst. These studies establish a general role of this mesolimbic pathway in mediating instinctive behaviors by controlling motivation-associated variables rather than conferring behavioral specificity.
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14
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Zhang J, Zhang H, Yan F, Zhang H, Zhang E, Wang X, Wei M, Pei Y, Yang Z, Li Y, Dong L, Wang X. Investigating the mechanism and prognosis of patients with disorders of consciousness on the basis of brain networks between the thalamus and whole-brain. Front Neurol 2022; 13:990686. [PMID: 36237619 PMCID: PMC9552841 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.990686] [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: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the changes in the functional connectivity between the bilateral thalamus and the whole-brain in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) patients suffering from disorders of consciousness (DOC) and to explore their potential prognostic representation capacity.MethodsThe sTBI patients suffering from DOC and healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. We defined patients with the Extended Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS-E) ≥ 3 as the wake group and GOS-E = 2 as the coma group. The differences in functional connectivity between sTBI and healthy controls and between wake and coma groups were compared. Based on the brain regions with altered functional connectivity between wake and coma groups, they were divided into 26 regions of interest. Based on the Z-values of regions of interest, the receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to classify the prognosis of patients.ResultsA total of 28 patients and 15 healthy controls were finally included. Patients who had DOC indicated a significant disruption of functional connectivity between the bilateral thalamus and the whole-brain (FDR corrected, P < 0.0007). The functional connectivity strength (bilateral thalamus to whole-brain) was significantly different between coma patients who went on to wake and those who were eventually non-awake at 6 months after sTBI (Alphasim corrected, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the 26 regions of interest had a similar or even better prognostic distinction ability than the admission Glasgow coma score.ConclusionThe thalamus-based system of consciousness of sTBI patients suffering from DOC is disrupted. There are differences in the thalamus-to-whole-brain network between wake and coma groups and these differences have potential prognostic characterization capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Fuli Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hengzhu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Enpeng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xingdong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Min Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yunlong Pei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhijie Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuping Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lun Dong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Lun Dong
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaodong Wang
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15
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Abnormal Brain Networks Related to Drug and Nondrug Reward Anticipation and Outcome Processing in Stimulant Use Disorder: A Functional Connectomics Approach. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2022; 8:560-571. [PMID: 36108930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug addiction is associated with blunted neural responses to nondrug rewards, such as money, but heightened responses to drug cues that predict drug-reward outcomes. This dissociation underscores the role of incentive context in the attribution of motivational salience, which may reflect a narrowing toward drug-related goals. This hypothesis, however, has scarcely been investigated. METHODS To address this important scientific gap, the current study performed an empirical assessment of differences in salience attribution by comparing patients with stimulant use disorder (SUD) (n = 41) with control participants (n = 48) on network connectivity related to anticipation and outcome processing using a modified monetary incentive delay task. We hypothesized increased task-related activation and connectivity to drug rewards in patients with SUD, and reduced task-related activation and connectivity to monetary rewards during incentive processing across brain networks. RESULTS In the presence of behavioral and regional brain activation similarities, we found that patients with SUD showed significantly less connectivity involving three separate distributed networks during monetary reward anticipation, and drug and monetary reward outcome processing. No group connectivity differences for drug reward anticipation were identified. Additional graph theory analyses revealed that patients with SUD had longer path lengths across these networks, all of which positively correlated with the duration of stimulant drug use. CONCLUSIONS Specific disruptions in connectivity in networks related to the anticipation of nondrug reward together with more general dysconnectivity in the processing of rewarding outcomes suggest an insensitivity to consequences. These observations support the notion of a predominance of habitual control in patients with SUD.
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16
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Hu W, Zhao X, Liu Y, Ren Y, Wei Z, Tang Z, Tian Y, Sun Y, Yang J. Reward sensitivity modulates the brain reward pathway in stress resilience via the inherent neuroendocrine system. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 20:100485. [PMID: 36132434 PMCID: PMC9483565 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the previous 10 years, researchers have suggested a critical role for the brain reward system in stress resilience. However, no study has provided an empirical link between activity in the mesostriatal reward regions during stress and the recovery of cortisol stress response. Moreover, although reward sensitivity as a trait has been demonstrated to promote stress resilience, it remains unclear whether it modulates the brain reward system in stress resilience and how this effect is achieved by the inherent neuroendocrine system. To investigate these uncertainties, 70 young adults were recruited to participate in a ScanSTRESS task, and their brain imaging data and saliva samples (for cortisol assay) were collected during the task. In addition, we assessed reward sensitivity, cortisol awakening response, and intrinsic functional connectivity of the brain in all the participants. We found that left putamen activation during stress exposure positively predicted cortisol recovery. In addition, reward sensitivity was positively linked with activation of the left putamen, and this relationship was serially mediated by the cortisol awakening response and right hippocampus-left inferior frontal gyrus intrinsic connectivity. These findings suggest that reward sensitivity modulates reward pathways in stress resilience through the interplay of the diurnal stress response system and network of the hippocampus-prefrontal circuitry. Summarily, the current study built a model to highlight the dynamic and multifaceted interaction between pertinent allostatic factors in the reward-resilience pathway and uncovered new insight into the resilience function of the mesostriatal reward system during stress. Cortisol recovery can be predicted by activation of the left putamen in stress. Activation of the left putamen was positively linked with reward sensitivity. This relationship was serially mediated by the cortisol awakening response and right hippocampus-left inferior frontal gyrus intrinsic coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyu Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yadong Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yipeng Ren
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zhenni Wei
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zihan Tang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yun Tian
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yadong Sun
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
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17
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Baker AK, Ericksen LC, Koppelmans V, Mickey BJ, Martucci KT, Zubieta JK, Love TM. Altered Reward Processing and Sex Differences in Chronic Pain. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:889849. [PMID: 35747210 PMCID: PMC9211769 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.889849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain and reward processing are understood to be reciprocally related to one another. Previous studies of reward processing in chronic pain patients have reported incongruent findings. While several factors likely contribute to these disparate findings, these previous studies did not stratify their analyses by sex-a factor previously shown to robustly impact reward-related responses. Thus, we examined sex as a factor of interest in level of striatal activation during anticipation of monetary incentives among patients with chronic non-specific back pain and healthy controls (HC). This study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging during a monetary incentive delay task to evaluate reward and loss responsivity in the striatum among males and females with and without chronic pain (N = 90). Group, sex, and group-by-sex interactions were analyzed via repeated measures analysis of variance. Among HC, males exhibited significantly greater blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in the striatum during reward anticipation, particularly during large reward trials. By contrast, no significant sex differences were observed among patients. A significant group-by-sex interaction was also observed, revealing diminished BOLD responses among males with chronic pain relative to control males. These results provide novel evidence of sex-specific reductions in anticipatory responses to reward in patients with chronic pain. Altered striatal reward responsivity among males, but not females, suggests that the reward systems of males and females are uniquely disrupted by chronic pain, and highlights the value of including sex as a factor of interest in future studies of reward responsivity in the context of persistent pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K. Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Lauren C. Ericksen
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Vincent Koppelmans
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Brian J. Mickey
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Katherine T. Martucci
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jon-Kar Zubieta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwell Health, John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Port Jefferson, NY, United States
| | - Tiffany M. Love
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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18
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Yun JY, Lee YI, Park S, Choi JM, Choi SH, Jang JH. Functional activation of insula and dorsal anterior cingulate for conflict control against larger monetary loss in young adults with subthreshold depression: a preliminary study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6956. [PMID: 35484391 PMCID: PMC9050651 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10989-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Subthreshold depression (StD) is associated with higher risk of later developing major depressive disorder (MDD). Deficits of goal-directed behaviors regarding the motional, motivational, and conflict control are found in MDD. The current study examined neural underpinning of conflict control against monetary punishment in StD compared to MDD and healthy controls (HC). Seventy-one participants (HC, n = 27; StD, n = 21; MDD, n = 23) in their mid-20's completed self-reports. Preprocessing of functional magnetic resonance imaging acquired for the Simon task against larger or smaller monetary punishment was conducted using ENIGMA HALFpipe version 1.2.1. Neural correlates of conflict control against monetary punishment that could vary with either diagnosis or PHQ-9 total score were examined using a general linear model of FSL. Simon effect was effective for reaction time and accuracy in every subgroup of diagnosis and regardless of the size of monetary punishment. Conflict control against larger monetary loss was associated with higher functional activation of left insula in StD than HC and MDD. StD showed lower functional activation of left dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) than MDD for conflict control against larger monetary loss. For conflict control against smaller monetary loss, StD demonstrated higher functional activation of left paracentral lobule and right putamen compared to HC. Directed acyclic graphs showed directional associations from suicidal ideation, sadness, and concentration difficulty to functional activation of paracentral lobule, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and thalamus for conflict control against monetary loss. Differential functional activation of insula and dACC for conflict control against larger monetary loss could be a brain phenotype of StD. Item-level depressive symptoms of suicidal ideation, sadness, and concentration difficulty could be reflected in the conflict control-related functional activation of paracentral lobule (against smaller monetary loss), vmPFC and thalamus (against larger monetary loss), respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Je-Yeon Yun
- Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Yeongeon Student Support Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonji Irene Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Susan Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Moon Choi
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
| | - Soo-Hee Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Hwan Jang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Health Service Center, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Human Systems Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Zou F, Li X, Chen F, Wang Y, Wang L, Wang Y, Wu X, Zhang M. P2 Manifests Subjective Evaluation of Reward Processing Under Social Comparison. Front Psychol 2022; 13:817529. [PMID: 35250750 PMCID: PMC8894254 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.817529] [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: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several recent studies have found that when the other’s gain is greater, even subjects’ reward may seem like a loss and lead to a negative experience. These studies indicate the complexity of reward evaluation in the context of social comparison. The satisfaction rating of reward outcome not only depends on objective social comparison but also on subjective evaluation. However, less is known about the neural time course of subjective evaluation. Therefore, we employed a 2 (subjective evaluation: advantageous vs. disadvantageous) × 2 (comparison direction: upward vs. downward) within-subjects factorial design, in which we manipulated the reward distribution for the subjects. Electroencephalography (EEG) responses were recorded, while two subjects concurrently but independently performed a simple dot-estimation task that entailed monetary rewards. Behavioral results showed that the subjects were more satisfied with the advantageous distribution, regardless of upward or downward comparison. The analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed that disadvantageous distribution elicited a larger P2 than advantageous distribution, and this effect was not modulated by comparison direction. In contrast, the late positive potential (LPP) showed an effect of comparison direction independent of subjective evaluation. The data suggest that subjective evaluation acts upon the early stage of reward processing and manifests in the P2 component, whereas social comparison plays a role in the later appraisal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zou
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Feng Zou,
| | - Xiaoya Li
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fenfang Chen
- Department of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Meng Zhang,
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20
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Salim J, Tandy S, Arnindita JN, Wibisono JJ, Haryanto MR, Wibisono MG. Zoom fatigue and its risk factors in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIA 2022. [DOI: 10.13181/mji.oa.225703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global nations have enforced strict health protocols because of the COVID-19’s high transmission, infectivity, and mortality. As shown by increased online learning and video conferencing, the employment and education sectors are shifting to home-based activities. Video conferencing as a communication medium has subtly led to zoom fatigue. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of zoom fatigue for early prevention and treatment.
METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 Indonesian university students selected by purposive sampling in July 2021. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire including online courses duration during the COVID-19 pandemic; Pittsburgh sleep quality index; depression, anxiety and stress scale-21; and zoom & exhaustion fatigue (ZEF) scale through Google Form (Google LLC, USA) distributed via social media and student forums. Association and correlation tests were used, and the model was developed using linear regression.
RESULTS The respondents were aged 21.3 (1.8) years with 12.8 (5.1) months of online courses during the COVID-19 pandemic and a ZEF scale of 2.8 (0.9). Students with higher ZEF had irregular physical exercise, poorer sleep quality, longer video conferencing sessions, longer months of courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and higher mental illness (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depression). Smoking negatively correlated with fatigue (r = −0.12). The model for ZEF showed good predictability for zoom fatigue (p<0.001, R2 = 0.57).
CONCLUSIONS Daily exposure to video conferencing in educational settings throughout the pandemic has drastically increased zoom fatigue. The stakeholders must act immediately to minimize the risks while providing maximum benefits.
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21
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Ma Z, Ren F, Huang X, Yang X, Li H, Li G, Chang D, Yin T, Zhang P. Decreased gray matter volume of the anterior insular cortex in patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: A voxel-based morphometry study. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 145:125-131. [PMID: 34920162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the gray matter morphological alteration and its correlation with the severity of symptoms in patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED). Fifty patients with pED and 50 healthy controls (HCs) were included. The whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis was conducted to compare the differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between patients with pED and HCs. And then, the region-of-interest-based correlation analyses were performed between the GMV of these regions with the most pronounced between-group differences and clinical symptoms in patients. The results demonstrated that patients with pED manifested decreased GMV in the bilateral anterior insula (aINS), bilateral precentral gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral middle cingulate cortex, bilateral fusiform gyrus, and cerebellum when compared to HCs. Taking the bilateral aINS as the region-of-interest, the results of voxel-based correlation analyses showed that the GMV of the bilateral aINS were positively correlated with the International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5) and Quality of Erection Questionnaire score, and the GMV of right aINS was positively associated with duration and sexual craving score in patients with pED. Furthermore, the significant correlations between the total GMV of the right aINS and IIEF-5 and sexual craving score, as well as between the total GMV of the left aINS and sexual craving score were also detected. In conclusion, these results suggested that the decreased GMV of aINS might be a critical neuropathological characteristic of pED, which provided new evidence for understanding the neurobiological basis of pED from the perspective of brain structure alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Ma
- Department of Andrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; Clinical Medical School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Feiqiang Ren
- Department of Urology, Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, 400021, China
| | - Xiaopeng Huang
- Department of Andrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China
| | - Xuemei Yang
- Clinical Medical School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Hao Li
- Clinical Medical School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Guangsen Li
- Department of Andrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China
| | - Degui Chang
- Department of Andrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China; Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Peihai Zhang
- Department of Andrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China; TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, China.
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Kwarteng AE, Rahman MM, Gee DG, Infante MA, Tapert SF, Curtis BL. Child reward neurocircuitry and parental substance use history: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Addict Behav 2021; 122:107034. [PMID: 34246036 PMCID: PMC8328938 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use research has focused on family history of alcohol use disorders but less on other addictions in biological family members. We examined how parental substance use history relates to reward system functioning, specifically nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and putamen activation at age 9-10 in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. This research hopes to address limitations in prior literature by focusing analyses on a large, substance-naïve sample. METHOD We included ABCD participants with valid Monetary Incentive Delay task fMRI Baseline data and parent substance use history at project baseline from Data Release 2.0 (N = 10,622). Parent-history-positive (PH+) participants had one or both biological parents with a history of two+problems with alcohol (n = 741; PH+A) and/or other drugs (n = 638; PH+D). Of participants who were parent-history-negative (PH-) for alcohol and/or drugs, a stratified random sample based on six sociodemographic variables was created and matched to the PH+group (PH-A n = 699; PH-D n = 615). The contrast of interest was anticipation of a large reward vs. neutral response. RESULTS PH+A youth had more activation in the right NAcc during large reward anticipation than PH-A. PH+D youth showed enhanced left putamen activation during large reward anticipation than PH-D youth. Bayesian hypothesis testing showed moderate evidence (BF > 3) in favor of the null hypothesis. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that pre-adolescents whose biological parents had a history of substance-related problems show small differences in reward processing compared to their PH- peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Kwarteng
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Muhammad M Rahman
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - M Alejandra Infante
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Susan F Tapert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Brenda L Curtis
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Striatal Dopamine Transporter Availability Is Not Associated with Food Craving in Lean and Obese Humans; a Molecular Imaging Study. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111428. [PMID: 34827426 PMCID: PMC8615750 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain dopamine signaling is essential for the motivation to eat, and obesity is associated with altered dopaminergic signaling and increased food craving. We used molecular neuroimaging to explore whether striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability is associated with craving as measured with the General Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (G-FCQ-T). We here show that humans with obesity (n = 34) experienced significantly more craving for food compared with lean subjects (n = 32), but food craving did not correlate significantly with striatal DAT availability as assessed with 123I-FP-CIT single-photon emission computed tomography. We conclude that food craving is increased in obesity, but the scores for food craving are not related to changes in striatal DAT availability.
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