Effort-based decision-making in major depressive disorder: A translational model of motivational anhedonia

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Michael T. Treadway, Emory University; Nicholas Bossaller, University of Alabama, Birmingham; Richard C. Shelton, University of Alabama, Birmingham; David H. Zald, Vanderbilt University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-01-01
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 American Psychological Association.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0028813
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Abnormal Psychology
• ISSN: 0021-843X
• Volume: 121
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 553
• End Page: 558
• Grant/Funding Information: This research was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (R21 MH092751) to DHZ; and (F31MH087015) to MTT.
• Keywords: Adult; Reward; Female; Motivation; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Depressive Disorder, Major; Humans; Anhedonia; Male; Decision Making; Middle Aged
• Research Categories: Psychology, Behavioral; Health Sciences, Mental Health

Abstract

Anhedonia is a core feature of major depressive disorder (MDD), but the precise nature of anhedonic symptoms is unknown. Whereas anhedonia has traditionally been viewed as a deficit in the experience of pleasure, more recent evidence suggests that reduced anticipation and motivation may also be a core feature of this symptom. Here, we provide data from a study in MDD patients and healthy controls using a translational measure of reward motivation, the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT or "effort"). This task offers subjects a series of trials where they may choose to expend more or less effort for the opportunity to win varying amounts of monetary rewards. We found that MDD patients were less willing to expend effort for rewards than controls. Additionally, we observed that patients were less able to effectively use information about magnitude and probability of rewards to guide their choice behavior. Finally, within the MDD patient group, duration of the current episode was a significant negative predictor of EEfRT task performance. These findings offer novel support for theoretical models proposing that anhedonia in MDD may reflect specific impairments in motivation and reward-based decision-making.