Measuring hedonic capacity in depression: A psychometric analysis of three anhedonia scales

Leventhal, Adam M.; Chasson, Gregory S.; Tapia, Evelina; Miller, Elizabeth; Pettit, Jeremy W.

doi:10.1002/jclp.20327

Cited by 194 publications

(157 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In fact, a recent finding also observed disrupted sensitivity to reinforcement in the PST ("blunting") associated with anhedonia in depressed individuals (Chase et al, 2010; see also Steele et al, 2007). Given these observations, we tentatively suggest that the reduced hedonic capacity associated with substance dependence (Koob, 1996;Koob & Le, 1997 may blunt the effects of reinforcement on PST performance (Chase et al, 2010;Leventhal et al, 2006). This insensitivity to reinforcement may ultimately drive the decision making system to withdraw control over behaviors that should be inhibited (impaired avoidance learning) and impede behaviors that should be facilitated (impaired reward learning).…”

Section: Substance Dependence and Personalitymentioning

confidence: 52%

Constraints on decision making: Implications from genetics, personality, and addiction

Baker

Stockwell

Holroyd

2013

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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An influential neurocomputational theory of the biological mechanisms of decision making, the "basal ganglia go/no-go model," holds that individual variability in decision making is determined by differences in the makeup of a striatal system for approach and avoidance learning. The model has been tested empirically with the probabilistic selection task (PST), which determines whether individuals learn better from positive or negative feedback. In accordance with the model, in the present study we examined whether an individual's ability to learn from positive and negative reinforcement can be predicted by genetic factors related to the midbrain dopamine system. We also asked whether psychiatric and personality factors related to substance dependence and dopamine affect PST performance. Although we found characteristics that predicted individual differences in approach versus avoidance learning, these observations were qualified by additional findings that appear inconsistent with the predictions of the go/no-go model. These results highlight a need for future research to validate the PST as a measure of basal ganglia reward learning. Keywords Individual differences . Addiction . Personality . Midbrain dopamine system . Basal ganglia . Reinforcement learning . Decision making . Probabilistic selection task Neuroimaging studies reveal that normal performance on decision making tasks is associated with widespread activations of the basal ganglia, midbrain dopamine system, and connected structures. These neural pathways are integral components of complex functional neuroanatomical loops underlying reinforcement learning and decision-making that appear critical for several cognitive, motor, and emotional Seeberger, & O'Reilly, 2004;Maia & Frank, 2011; Moustafa, Cohen, Sherman, & Frank, 2008; Moustafa, Sherman, & Frank, 2008;Solomon, Smith, Frank, Ly, & Carter, 2011;Steele, Kumar, & Ebmeier, 2007;Waltz, Frank, Robinson, & Gold, 2007;Waltz, Frank, Wiecki, & Gold, 2011;Wiecki & Frank, 2010) are associated with biases in basal ganglia function in such tasks, reflecting idiosyncratic differences in our abilities to learn and make choices. Yet the neural mechanisms that underlie individual differences in decision making remain poorly understood.According to an influential neurocomputational model of decision making, "the basal ganglia go/no-go model," dopaminergic signaling in the basal ganglia facilitates or suppresses action representations during reinforcement learning tasks: Phasic bursts of dopamine activity facilitate reward learning by reinforcing striatal connections that express D1 receptors (the "go/approach" pathway), whereas phasic dips in dopamine activity facilitate avoidance learning by reinforcing striatal connections that express D2 receptors (the "no-go/avoidance" pathway; Frank et al., 2004). Empirically, the model predictions are typically tested with the probabilistic selection task (PST), a trial-and-error learning task in which participants are required to learn three concurrent discrimi...

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Section: Substance Dependence and Personalitymentioning

confidence: 52%

Constraints on decision making: Implications from genetics, personality, and addiction

Baker

Stockwell

Holroyd

2013

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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“…Although these scales provide a reliable assessment of depression severity and contain items probing anhedonia, it is important to emphasize that other scales have been developed to specifically assess anhedonia, including the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, the Fawcett-Clark Pleasure Capacity Scale, and the Revised Chapman Physical Anhedonia Scale (see Leventhal et al, 2006 for a recent review and psychometric comparison). Accordingly, future studies will be needed to evaluate whether the present findings extend to reports of anhedonic symptoms as assessed by these other scales.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced hedonic capacity in major depressive disorder: Evidence from a probabilistic reward task

Pizzagalli

Iosifescu

Hallett

et al. 2008

Journal of Psychiatric Research

664

693

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Objective-Anhedonia, the lack of reactivity to pleasurable stimuli, is a cardinal feature of depression that has received renewed interest as a potential endophenotype of this debilitating disease. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that individuals with major depression are characterized by blunted reward responsiveness, particularly when anhedonic symptoms are prominent.Methods-A probabilistic reward task rooted within signal-detection theory was utilized to objectively assess hedonic capacity in 23 unmedicated subjects meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and 25 matched control subjects recruited from the community. Hedonic capacity was defined as reward responsiveness -i.e., the participants' propensity to modulate behavior as a function of reward.Results-Compared to controls, MDD subjects showed significantly reduced reward responsiveness. Trial-by-trial probability analyses revealed that MDD subjects, while responsive to delivery of single rewards, were impaired at integrating reinforcement history over time and expressing a response bias toward a more frequently rewarded cue in the absence of immediate reward. This selective impairment correlated with self-reported anhedonic symptoms, even after considering anxiety symptoms and general distress.Conclusions-These findings indicate that MDD is characterized by an impaired tendency to modulate behavior as a function of prior reinforcements, and provides initial clues about which aspects of hedonic processing might be dysfunctional in depression.

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“…The possible range of scores was from 0 to 42, consistent with prior studies in which the SHAPS was used as a continuous measure. 13,14 To classify participants as hedonic or anhedonic at baseline, we followed the scoring method devised by Snaith et al 12 Each item response was recoded as hedonic (agree or definitely agree = 0) or anhedonic (disagree or definitely disagree = 1). For this dichotomous measure, scores ranged from 0 to 14.…”

Section: Anhedoniamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this rate is comparable to that found by Leventhal et al,26 suggesting that the rate of anhedonia in the present sample could be reflective of rates of anhedonia among smokers in the general population. Second, although the SHAPS is commonly used to assess anhedonia, particularly among smokers, different measures of anhedonia have not always been shown to be intercorrelated, 14 which may call into question the validity of available scales to accurately measure the construct of anhedonia. Third, the lack of placebo condition made it difficult to draw inferences about the impact of nicotine patch therapy on pretreatment anhedonia or depression more generally.…”

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confidence: 99%

Is the Effect of Anhedonia on Smoking Cessation Greater for Women Versus Men?

Powers

Carroll

Veluz-Wilkins

et al. 2016

NICTOB

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Introduction: Anhedonia has been recognized as a major risk factor for smoking persistence. Potential gender differences in the effect of anhedonia on smoking cessation have not been studied. Using data from a completed clinical trial of maintenance nicotine patch therapy, we hypothesized that gender would moderate the effect of anhedonia on short-term abstinence, such that anhedonic women would be less likely to achieve abstinence. Methods: Participants (N = 525; 50% female, 48.2% Black/African American, average age: 46 years) received 21 mg/day nicotine patch and four brief behavior counseling sessions over 8 weeks. Participants were classified at baseline using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale as anhedonic (scores > 2) or hedonic (scores ≤ 2). Bioverified 7-day point prevalence abstinence was measured at week 8. Using logistic regression analysis, we tested the interaction of anhedonia by gender predicting abstinence, adjusting for age, race, nicotine dependence, and baseline depressive symptomatology. Results: Seventy participants (13%) were classified as anhedonic. Men were more likely to be anhedonic than women (16.6% vs. 10.2%, p = .03). Contrary to our hypothesis, the interaction of anhedonic status (hedonic vs. anhedonic) by gender was nonsignificant (p = .18). There was a main effect of hedonic capacity, such that anhedonia predicted abstinence, odds ratio = 3.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.39-7.51, p = .006. Conclusion: Both male and female anhedonic smokers were more likely to be abstinent, which contrasts with prior research indicating that anhedonia is a risk factor for difficulty quitting. This unexpected finding may be explained by a possible selective benefit of nicotine patch therapy, which has been observed in some studies to have antidepressant effects. Implications: This is the first study to examine whether the association between pretreatment anhedonia and smoking cessation differs by gender. For both women and men, anhedonia was associated with a greater likelihood of abstinence after 8 weeks of treatment with 21 mg/day nicotine patch and behavior counseling. Our findings indicate that the association between anhedonia and smoking cessation is not as clear as has been assumed and may depend in part on the type of treatment delivered.

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Measuring hedonic capacity in depression: A psychometric analysis of three anhedonia scales

Cited by 194 publications

References 38 publications

Constraints on decision making: Implications from genetics, personality, and addiction

Constraints on decision making: Implications from genetics, personality, and addiction

Reduced hedonic capacity in major depressive disorder: Evidence from a probabilistic reward task

Is the Effect of Anhedonia on Smoking Cessation Greater for Women Versus Men?

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