Distinct neurofunctional alterations during motivational and hedonic processing of natural and monetary rewards in depression - A neuroimaging meta-analysis

Authors

Mercy Chepngetich Bore, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Xiqin Liu, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Xianyang Gan, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Lan Wang, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Ting Xu, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Stefania Ferraro, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Liyuan Li, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Bo Zhou, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Jie Zhang, Fudan University
Deniz Vatansever, Fudan University
Bharat Biswal, Newark College of Engineering
Benjamin Klugah-Brown, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Benjamin Becker, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-24-2024

Abstract

Reward processing dysfunctions are considered a candidate mechanism underlying anhedonia and apathy in depression. Neuroimaging studies have documented that neurofunctional alterations in mesocorticolimbic circuits may neurally mediate these dysfunctions. However, common and distinct neurofunctional alterations during motivational and hedonic evaluation of monetary and natural rewards in depression have not been systematically examined. Here, we capitalized on pre-registered neuroimaging meta-analyses to (1) establish general reward-related neural alterations in depression, (2) determine common and distinct alterations during the receipt and anticipation of monetary v. natural rewards, and, (3) characterize the differences on the behavioral, network, and molecular level. The pre-registered meta-analysis (https://osf.io/ay3r9) included 633 depressed patients and 644 healthy controls and revealed generally decreased subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and striatal reactivity toward rewards in depression. Subsequent comparative analyses indicated that monetary rewards led to decreased hedonic reactivity in the right ventral caudate while natural rewards led to decreased reactivity in the bilateral putamen in depressed individuals. These regions exhibited distinguishable profiles on the behavioral, network, and molecular level. Further analyses demonstrated that the right thalamus and left putamen showed decreased activation during the anticipation of monetary reward. The present results indicate that distinguishable neurofunctional alterations may neurally mediate reward-processing alterations in depression, in particular, with respect to monetary and natural rewards. Given that natural rewards prevail in everyday life, our findings suggest that reward-type specific interventions are warranted and challenge the generalizability of experimental tasks employing monetary incentives to capture reward dysregulations in everyday life.

Identifier

85179096700 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Psychological Medicine

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723003410

e-ISSN

14698978

ISSN

00332917

PubMed ID

37997708

First Page

639

Last Page

651

Issue

4

Volume

54

Grant

2022ZD0208500

Fund Ref

National Natural Science Foundation of China

Recommended Citation

Bore, Mercy Chepngetich; Liu, Xiqin; Gan, Xianyang; Wang, Lan; Xu, Ting; Ferraro, Stefania; Li, Liyuan; Zhou, Bo; Zhang, Jie; Vatansever, Deniz; Biswal, Bharat; Klugah-Brown, Benjamin; and Becker, Benjamin, "Distinct neurofunctional alterations during motivational and hedonic processing of natural and monetary rewards in depression - A neuroimaging meta-analysis" (2024). Faculty Publications. 559.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/559