Toward an objective characterization of an anhedonic phenotype: a signal-detection approach. Biol Psychiatry 2005 Feb 15;57(4):319-27
Date
02/12/2005Pubmed ID
15705346Pubmed Central ID
PMC2447922DOI
10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.11.026Scopus ID
2-s2.0-13444257741 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 532 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Difficulties in defining and characterizing phenotypes has hindered progress in psychiatric genetics and clinical neuroscience. Decreased approach-related behavior and anhedonia (lack of responsiveness to pleasure) are considered cardinal features of depression, but few studies have used laboratory-based measures to objectively characterize these constructs.
METHODS: To assess hedonic capacity in relation to depressive, particularly anhedonic, symptoms, 62 participants completed a signal-detection task based on a differential reinforcement schedule. Anhedonia was operationalized as decreased reward responsiveness.
RESULTS: Unequal frequency of reward between two correct responses produced a response bias (i.e., a systematic preference to identify the stimulus paired with the more frequent reward). Subjects with elevated depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory scores >/= 16) failed to show a response bias. Impaired reward responsiveness predicted higher anhedonic symptoms 1 month later, after controlling for general negative affectivity.
CONCLUSIONS: Impaired tendency to modulate behavior as a function of prior reinforcement might underline diminished hedonic capacity in depression. When applied to a clinical population, objective assessments of participants' propensity to modulate behavior as a function of reward might provide a powerful tool for improving the phenotypic definition of depression and thus offer a reliable behavioral screening approach for neuroscience studies of depression.
Author List
Pizzagalli DA, Jahn AL, O'Shea JPAuthor
Allison L. Jahn PhD Assistant Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Affective Symptoms
Analysis of Variance
Bias
Character
Depressive Disorder
Expressed Emotion
Female
Humans
Male
Motivation
Personality Inventory
Phenotype
Probability
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Reaction Time
Reinforcement Schedule
Statistics as Topic
