Tag

Reward Processing

All articles tagged with #reward processing

health19 days ago•7 min saved

Joy-Rewiring Therapy Shows Promise Against Depression

A randomized trial of 98 adults with severe anhedonia, depression, and anxiety found Positive Affect Treatment (PAT)—a 15-session therapy designed to boost positive emotions and retrain the brain’s reward system—outperformed a conventional negative-emotion-focused therapy, with improvements in overall clinical status persisting at one-month follow-up and notable reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms. PAT targets the brain’s positive pathways (anticipation, response to reward, and reward learning) and may reduce key depression risks by enhancing meaningful activity, gratitude, savoring, and social connection.

via SciTechDaily|

#anhedonia #depression #health

neuroimaging3 months ago•20 min saved

Polygenic anhedonia risk linked to altered reward-brain activity

A German neuroimaging study found that individuals with higher polygenic risk scores for anhedonia show distinct brain activity during a monetary incentive delay task: they exhibit decreased activation in the bilateral putamen and left middle frontal gyrus during reward anticipation and reduced right caudate activity during reward feedback. Higher risk is also associated with lower activity in the left middle frontal gyrus when anticipating losses and during salience processing, while there is heightened activity in the bilateral putamen and right caudate during loss feedback. The results highlight the involvement of striatal and prefrontal circuits in genetic risk for anhedonia, though replication and further research are needed.

via PsyPost|

#anhedonia #depression #fmri

neuroscience1 year ago•5 min saved

Identifying Teen Gaming Addiction Through Brain Markers

A study by the University of Rochester identifies brain activity patterns that may predict gaming addiction in adolescents. Researchers found that teens with reduced activity in brain regions related to decision-making and reward processing are more likely to develop gaming addiction symptoms. This blunted response to non-gaming rewards suggests a susceptibility to problematic gaming behaviors. The findings, based on a longitudinal study of 6,143 adolescents, offer insights for parents and clinicians to balance healthy gaming habits and identify at-risk individuals early.

via Neuroscience News|

#adolescents #brain-activity #gaming-addiction

neuroscience1 year ago•6 min saved

"Beta Brain Waves Identified as Depression Marker"

A study identifies beta frequency neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as crucial for recognizing rewards and shaping behavior, which is altered in patients with depression. This neural signature could serve as a biomarker and potential treatment target for anhedonia, potentially leading to innovative therapies for mental health conditions involving disrupted reward processing.

via Neuroscience News|

#anhedonia #anterior-cingulate-cortex #beta-brain-waves

neuroscience2 years ago•2 min saved

"Altered Brain Systems in Depression: Natural vs. Monetary Rewards"

A study published in Psychological Medicine reveals distinct neural alterations in patients with depression during processing of monetary and natural rewards, indicating that reward dysfunctions in depression differ depending on the type of reward. While patients exhibited decreased activation in certain brain regions during receipt of all reward types, separable alterations were observed during monetary and natural rewards in specific parts of the striatum. The findings suggest the need for reward-type specific interventions and challenge previous assumptions about reward dysfunctions in depression. However, the study also highlights the impact of anti-depressive medication on brain alterations, calling for further research in this area.

via PsyPost|

#brain-alterations #depression #mental-health

health2 years ago•4 min saved

"Obesity Amplifies Brain's Reward Response, Study Shows"

A brain imaging study has found that individuals with obesity have heightened neural sensitivity to rewards, including monetary incentives. The study examined specific brain regions involved in reward processing and found a positive relationship between body mass index (BMI) and activation in the insula region of the brain. The findings suggest that the brains of individuals with higher BMIs may be more sensitive to rewarding stimuli. This research provides insights into the connection between the brain and obesity, potentially leading to more personalized interventions for this global health concern. However, further longitudinal research is needed to determine whether heightened reward responses are a cause or consequence of obesity.

via PsyPost|

#brain-imaging #health #neural-sensitivity