Download Full Text

Citable link to this page

. . . . . .

Title:	Toward an Objective Characterization of an Anhedonic Phenotype: A Signal-Detection Approach
Author:	Pizzagalli, Diego; O'Shea, James P.; Jahn, Allison L. Note: Order does not necessarily reflect citation order of authors.
Citation:	Pizzagalli, Diego A., Allison L. Jahn, and James P. O'Shea. 2005. Toward an objective characterization of an anhedonic phenotype: a signal detection approach. Biological Psychiatry 57 (4):319-327.
Full Text & Related Files:	Pizzagalli_TowardObjective.doc (378.8Kb; Microsoft Word)  Pizzagalli_TowardObjective.pdf (723.1Kb; PDF)
Abstract:	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.
Published Version:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.11.026
Other Sources:	http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2447922
Terms of Use:	This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAA
Citable link to this page:	http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3202524

Show full Dublin Core record

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

• FAS Scholarly Articles [5171]
  Peer reviewed scholarly articles from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University

Contact administrator regarding this item (to report mistakes or request changes)