Assessing the relationship between the human learned helplessness depression model and anhedonia

Implications of helplessness in depression: diagnosing mild cognitive impairment and analyzing its effects on cognitive decline in older adults

Background

This study focuses on how elements of depression correlate with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults and the diagnostic efficacy of combining these components with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The study also investigated the connection between individual depression components and overall cognitive function, as measured by the total score (TS) of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease (AD) assessment battery.

Methods

The study included 196 nondemented adults aged 65 to 90 years at a university hospital and community. Comprehensive clinical assessments including the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to measure components of depressive symptoms, TS, and blood nutritional biomarkers.

Results

Our stepwise logistic regression analysis highlighted the 'helplessness item' (odds ratio = 4.531, 95% CI = 2.218 to 9.258, p < 0.001) as a significant predictor for MCI diagnosis. Further, models incorporating 'helplessness item + MMSE' demonstrated markedly enhanced accuracy in diagnosing MCI, surpassing the performance of the MMSE used independently. Notably, the group characterized by helplessness showed a significant reduction in TS (B = -5.300, SE = 1.899, β = -0.162, p = 0.006), with this trend being particularly pronounced in individuals exhibiting lower levels of physical activity. Interestingly, this correlation did not manifest in participants with higher physical activity levels.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that helplessness is highly effective in diagnosing MCI and is linked to a decrease in cognitive function. Therefore, when addressing MCI and AD-related cognitive decline, clinicians should consider helplessness.

Serious Games Based on Cognitive Bias Modification and Learned Helplessness Paradigms for the Treatment of Depression: Design and Acceptability Study

BACKGROUND

Depression is a debilitating mental health disorder, with a large treatment gap. Recent years have seen a surge in digital interventions to bridge this treatment gap. Most of these interventions are based on computerized cognitive behavioral therapy. Despite the efficacy of computerized cognitive behavioral therapy-based interventions, their uptake is low and dropout rates are high. Cognitive bias modification (CBM) paradigms provide a complementary approach to digital interventions for depression. However, interventions based on CBM paradigms have been reported to be repetitive and boring.

OBJECTIVE

In this paper, we described the conceptualization, design, and acceptability of serious games based on CBM paradigms and the learned helplessness paradigm.

METHODS

We searched the literature for CBM paradigms that were shown to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms. For each of the CBM paradigms, we ideated how to create a game so that the gameplay was engaging while the active therapeutic component remained unchanged.

RESULTS

We developed 5 serious games based on the CBM paradigms and the learned helplessness paradigm. The games include various core elements of gamification, such as goals, challenges, feedback, rewards, progress, and fun. Overall, the games received positive acceptability ratings from 15 users.

CONCLUSIONS

These games may help improve the effectiveness and engagement levels of computerized interventions for depression.

Anhedonia and sensitivity to punishment in schizophrenia, depression and opiate use disorder

BACKGROUND

From a behavioural perspective anhedonia is defined as diminished interest in the engagement of pleasurable activities. Despite its presence across a range of psychiatric disorders, the cognitive processes that give rise to anhedonia remain unclear.

METHODS

Here we examine whether anhedonia is associated with learning from positive and negative outcomes in patients diagnosed with major depression, schizophrenia and opiate use disorder alongside a healthy control group. Responses in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test - a task associated with healthy prefrontal cortex function - were fitted to the Attentional Learning Model (ALM) which separates learning from positive and negative feedback.

RESULTS

Learning from punishment, but not from reward, was negatively associated with anhedonia beyond other socio-demographic, cognitive and clinical variables. This impairment in punishment sensitivity was also associated with faster responses following negative feedback, independently of the degree of surprise.

LIMITATIONS

Future studies should test the longitudinal association between punishment sensitivity and anhedonia also in other clinical populations controlling for the effect of specific medications.

CONCLUSIONS

Together the results reveal that anhedonic subjects, because of their negative expectations, are less sensitive to negative feedbacks; this might lead them to persist in actions leading to negative outcomes.

The Effects of COVID-19-Related Stress on Depression in Working Mothers with School-Aged Children: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Parenting Efficacy and Cognitive Flexibility

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the effects of COVID-19-related stress, parental efficacy, and cognitive flexibility on depression of mothers with school-aged children and to examine a moderated mediation model.Methods: Data on cognitive flexibility, parental efficacy, COVID-19-related stress, and depression were collected from 441 working mothers who had at least one school-aged child using the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) and Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC), COVID Stress/Disruption, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scales. Data were then analyzed using SPSS 26.0, and PROCESS macro version 4.0.Results: The findings revealed that COVID-19-related stress had a significant positive influence on depression in working mothers, which was mediated by parental efficacy. A moderated mediation analysis further indicated that this indirect effect varied depending upon the mothers’ sense of control a sub-factor of cognitive flexibility. Therefore, when mothers perceived they were unlikely to exercise any control over changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, their parental efficacy exerted a greater mediating effect.Conclusion: Results suggest that interventions reducing COVID-19-related stress and increasing parental efficacy could alleviate depression among working mothers with school-aged children. Furthermore, cognitive interventions could be effective in helping those working mothers experiencing a low level of parenting efficacy due to COVID-19-related stress to perceive the demanding situation as within their control.

Encore: Behavioural animal models of stress, depression and mood disorders

Animal studies over the past two decades have led to extensive advances in our understanding of pathogenesis of depressive and mood disorders. Among these, rodent behavioural models proved to be of highest informative value. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the most popular behavioural models with respect to physiological, circuit, and molecular biological correlates. Behavioural stress paradigms and behavioural tests are assessed in terms of outcomes, strengths, weaknesses, and translational value, especially in the domain of pharmacological studies.