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Reduced neural response to reward and pleasant pictures independently relate to depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2020

Julia Klawohn Open the ORCID record for Julia Klawohn [Opens in a new window] ,
Kreshnik Burani ,
Alec Bruchnak ,
Nicholas Santopetro  and
Greg Hajcak
Julia Klawohn*
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
Kreshnik Burani
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
Alec Bruchnak
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
Nicholas Santopetro
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
Greg Hajcak
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Julia Klawohn, E-mail: julia.klawohn@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background

Multiple studies have found a reduced reward positivity (RewP) among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Event-related potential studies have also reported blunted neural responses to pleasant pictures in MDD as reflected by the late positive potential (LPP). These deficits have been interpreted broadly in terms of anhedonia and decreased emotional engagement characteristic of depression.

Methods

In the current study, a community-based sample of 83 participants with current MDD and 45 healthy individuals performed both a guessing task and a picture viewing paradigm with neutral and pleasant pictures to assess the RewP and the LPP, respectively.

Results

We found that both RewP and LPP to pleasant pictures were reduced in the MDD group; moreover, RewP and LPP were both independent predictors of MDD status. Within the MDD group, a smaller RewP predicted impaired mood reactivity in younger but not older participants. Smaller LPP amplitudes were associated with increased anhedonia severity in the MDD group.

Conclusions

These data replicate and merge separate previous lines of research, and suggest that a blunted RewP and LPP reflect independent neural deficits in MDD – which could be used in conjunction to improve the classification of depression.

Keywords

Anhedoniadepressionevent-related potentialsLPPreward processingRewP
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 51 , Issue 5 , April 2021 , pp. 741 - 749
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2020

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