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Journal of Affective Disorders Feb 2022Anhedonia has long been theorized to be a multidimensional construct, focusing on domains of reward stimuli and temporal relationship to reward. However, little...
BACKGROUND
Anhedonia has long been theorized to be a multidimensional construct, focusing on domains of reward stimuli and temporal relationship to reward. However, little empirical work has directly examined whether there is support for this assertion.
METHODS
The study used data from young adults from four independent samples (n = 2098). Participants completed multiple measures of anhedonia.
RESULTS
We used rigorous conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on items from six commonly used anhedonia measures to examine dimensions underlying anhedonia. Results suggested a four-factor solution with factors reflecting social reward, social disinterest, status/achievement, and physical/natural reward. The identified factors reflected broad content domains of pleasure, but not specific reward processes. The four factors were modestly associated with one another, suggesting a weak common underlying anhedonia trait that manifests across multiple dimensions. Factor scores were associated with personality measures, reward-related indices, and depression symptoms, supporting the validity of the factors.
LIMITATIONS
Participants were all young adults and we assessed anhedonia only at the level of self-report.
CONCLUSION
Anhedonia is a multidimensional construct. However, the dimensions of anhedonia only distinguish domains of, but not temporal processes of anhedonia. Future work should continue to refine the structures underlying the construct of anhedonia through iterative theory- and data-driven research and examine associations between anhedonia and clinical outcomes.
Topics: Anhedonia; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Humans; Pleasure; Reward; Self Report; Young Adult
PubMed: 34864118
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.069 -
Experimental and Clinical... Oct 2021Anhedonia-diminished interest and pleasure in response to rewards-may be a symptom of tobacco withdrawal that is understudied in priority populations. This experiment...
Anhedonia-diminished interest and pleasure in response to rewards-may be a symptom of tobacco withdrawal that is understudied in priority populations. This experiment investigated the magnitude and correlates of various dimensions of anhedonia during tobacco withdrawal among African-American (AA) smokers-a population subject to health disparities. AA smokers ( = 607; ≥ 10 cigarettes/day, 37.8% female, [SD] age = 50.0[10.6] years) completed self-report measures assessing expected pleasure from (i.e., consummatory anhedonia) and desire to engage in (i.e., anticipatory anhedonia) various types of hypothetically experienced rewards at counterbalanced 16-hr tobacco deprived and nondeprived lab visits. Other tobacco withdrawal symptom measures (e.g., craving, negative affect, hunger) were also assessed. Tobacco deprivation most robustly increased scores on a composite measure of consummatory anhedonia directed toward various reward domains (i.e., hobbies, sensory experiences, social activities; = .32, < .001). Deprivation modestly increased consummatory and anticipatory anhedonia directed toward sexual rewards (s = .09-.12, s < .02), did not significantly change anhedonia toward food rewards, and decreased anhedonia directed toward psychoactive drug rewards (i.e., increased desire for and pleasure from drugs; s = -.21 to -.19, s < .001). Deprivation-induced changes in anhedonia were modestly correlated with other withdrawal symptoms (average ||s = .04-.23) and were amplified among participants with higher nicotine dependence and lower positive affect-related traits (|β|s = .10-.12, s < .01). Some dimensions of anhedonia may be genuine expressions of acute tobacco withdrawal in AA smokers. Applying multi-dimensional anhedonia conceptualizations might advance basic knowledge and treatment of tobacco use disorder, improve smoking cessation outcomes, and address tobacco-related health disparities facing AA smokers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Black or African American; Anhedonia; Humans; Middle Aged; Smokers; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Nicotiana; Tobacco Use Disorder
PubMed: 34110886
DOI: 10.1037/pha0000474 -
The International Journal of Eating... Mar 2021Low positive affect has been identified as an antecedent of binge-eating episodes among individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED), yet positive affect has received...
Low positive affect has been identified as an antecedent of binge-eating episodes among individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED), yet positive affect has received far less attention in eating disorders research than its counterpart, negative affect. In this article, we argue that the low levels of positive affect which occur with anhedonia (i.e., loss of interest or pleasure in activities) may contribute to the onset and maintenance of BED. We introduce a theoretical model in which anhedonia increases the risk for BED through its interrelationships with dysregulated eating and weight gain, and we describe potential direct (e.g., reward-related processes) as well as indirect (e.g., influences on depressive symptoms and physical activity) pathways by which anhedonia may lead to adverse eating- and weight-related outcomes. We also propose a momentary maintenance model in which low positive affect and positive affect dysregulation occurring with anhedonia maintain binge eating directly and indirectly through maladaptive health behaviors, such as decreased physical activity, less healthy eating, and fewer social interactions, which in turn maintain anhedonia. We draw upon outside literature to present evidence that aligns with the proposed risk and maintenance models and conclude by outlining avenues for future research-including methodological/measurement, theoretical, and clinical research directions.
Topics: Anhedonia; Binge-Eating Disorder; Bulimia; Humans
PubMed: 33295671
DOI: 10.1002/eat.23433 -
Psychiatria Polska Apr 2024"Schizotypy" is a term describing personality traits reflected in emotional, perceptual and cognitive styles. Affective temperaments are trait-like features which were...
OBJECTIVES
"Schizotypy" is a term describing personality traits reflected in emotional, perceptual and cognitive styles. Affective temperaments are trait-like features which were observed to be stable in time and predispose to mood disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine relationship between schizotypal features, affective temperaments and anhedonia in patients with bipolar depression.
METHODS
54 patients with bipolar depression were included in the study. Participant were administered the following psychometric tools: Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A), and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report (QIDS-SR). Correlations between the variables were calculated and linear regression models were built.
RESULTS
Only hyperthymia (affective temperament) and introvertive anhedonia (schizotypal domain) were statistically significantly correlated with anhedonia. In regression models, introvertive anhedonia predicted higher whereas hyperthymic features lower severity of anhedonia (measured by the SHAPS scale).
CONCLUSIONS
Hyperthymic features are protective and introvertive anhedonia is a risk factor for consummatory anhedonia.
PubMed: 38805600
DOI: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/178345 -
Neuropsychopharmacology Reports Mar 2021Individuals infected by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have experienced different psychiatric manifestations during the period of infectivity and post-COVID-19... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Individuals infected by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have experienced different psychiatric manifestations during the period of infectivity and post-COVID-19 infection. Fatigue and anhedonia are among the frequently reported manifestations after recovery from this novel viral pandemic, leading to early evaluation of those patients and proper management of their complaints which have a drastic burden on different domains of life. Also, the period after recovery might have an effect on the severity of these two psychiatric presentations.
AIM OF THE WORK
This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the occurrence of post-COVID-19 fatigue and anhedonia and whether the duration after 2 consecutive PCR-negative tests has an implication on the severity of the above-mentioned psychiatric manifestations.
METHODS
Socio-demographic characteristics of 200 post-COVID-19 patients were collected, and also, the self-assessment anhedonia scale was used to evaluate the degree of anhedonia. Fatigue assessment scale used to investigate this domain. The study targeted to find a possible correlation between the period after recovery and the other variables including anhedonia and fatigue.
RESULTS
The study revealed high scores of different subtypes of self-assessment anhedonia scale (including total intensity, total frequency, and total changes scores) in the studied group, also high score of fatigue assessment scale in those patients. Positive statistically significant correlation between anhedonia and fatigue in post-COVID-19 group, also negative statistically significant correlation between duration after recovery and the other 2 variables(anhedonia and fatigue) in the examined patients.
CONCLUSION
Post-COVID-19 fatigue and anhedonia were prevalent and commonly reported in the post-COVID-19 period, also the duration after 2 consecutive negative PCR tests has an implication on the severity rating scale of both anhedonia and fatigue. These findings directed our attention to those reported manifestations which affected the socio-occupational functioning of the individuals during this whole world pandemic.
Topics: Adult; Anhedonia; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fatigue; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Time Factors; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
PubMed: 33332756
DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12154 -
Neuropsychobiology 2021This paper tries to demonstrate that the questionnaire-based continuum between temperament traits and psychopathology can also be shown on the biochemical level. A... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This paper tries to demonstrate that the questionnaire-based continuum between temperament traits and psychopathology can also be shown on the biochemical level. A common feature is the incapacity to adapt to external demands, as demonstrated by examples of disturbed hormone cycles as well as neurotransmitter (TM) responses related to affective and impulse control disorders.
METHODS
Pharmacological challenge tests performed in placebo-controlled balanced crossover experiments with consecutive challenges by serotonin (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA), and dopamine (DA) agonistic drugs were applied to healthy subjects, and individual responsivities of each TM system assessed by respective cortisol and prolactin responses were related to questionnaire-based facets of depressiveness and impulsivity, respectively.
RESULTS
The depression-related traits "Fatigue" and "Physical Anhedonia" were characterized by low and late responses to DA stimulation as opposed to "Social Anhedonia," which rather mirrored the pattern of schizophrenia. Reward-related and premature responding-related impulsivity represented by high scores on "Disinhibition" and "Motor Impulsivity," respectively, as well as the questionnaire-based components of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, "Cognitive" and "Motor Impulsivity," could be discriminated by their patterns of DA/NA responses. 5-HT responses suggested that instead of the expected low availability of 5-HT claimed to be associated with impulse control disorders, low NA responses indicated lack of inhibition in impulsivity and high NA responses in depression-related "Anhedonia" indicated suppression of approach motivation.
CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the flaws of pharmacological challenge tests, they may be suitable for demonstrating similarities in TM affinities between psychopathological disturbances and respective temperament traits and for separating sub-entities of larger disease spectra.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Animals; Behavioral Symptoms; Dopamine; Estrogens; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Neurotransmitter Agents; Norepinephrine; Serotonin; Temperament
PubMed: 33647900
DOI: 10.1159/000514074 -
Schizophrenia Bulletin Mar 2022Anhedonia, the reduced capacity to experience pleasure, has long been considered a prominent feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Many domain-specific... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Anhedonia, the reduced capacity to experience pleasure, has long been considered a prominent feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Many domain-specific conceptualizations of anhedonia and pleasure capacity have been developed, and there currently exist a variety of self-report assessment tools that purport to assess these various domains. The current systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42020156169) aimed to quantify overall and domain-specific self-reported anhedonia in people with schizophrenia compared to nonpsychiatric controls. We performed a literature search of PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Embase databases for dissertations and peer-reviewed articles published in English prior to June 2021. Studies employing a psychometrically validated self-report measure of anhedonia, pleasure experience or affect in people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or schizophreniform disorders; studies utilizing at least one clearly defined healthy or community control group for comparison; and studies providing sufficient data to calculate effect sizes were included in this review. Random and mixed effects meta-analyses, meta-regressions, and subgroup comparisons were run across domains of anhedonia to explore weighted mean effect sizes and their associated moderators. In total, 146 studies met inclusion criteria, yielding 390 Hedges' g effect sizes from the included comparisons. People with schizophrenia reported moderate-to-large elevations in overall and domain-specific anhedonia. A sensitivity analysis accounting for high risk of bias studies did not significantly impact results. Lastly, patient sex, education, negative symptom severity, antipsychotic class, and trait negative affect differentially moderated effect sizes across domains of anhedonia. Despite the heterogeneity inherent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, self-reported anhedonia is ubiquitously reported across self-report measures in this population.
Topics: Adult; Anhedonia; Female; Humans; Male; Psychometrics; Schizophrenia; Self Report
PubMed: 34891171
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbab136 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Aug 2019: At present, data collected from the literature about suicide and anhedonia are controversial. Some studies have shown that low levels of anhedonia are associated with... (Review)
Review
: At present, data collected from the literature about suicide and anhedonia are controversial. Some studies have shown that low levels of anhedonia are associated with serious suicide attempts and death by suicide, while other studies have shown that high levels of anhedonia are associated with suicide. : For this review, we searched PubMed, Medline, and ScienceDirect for clinical studies published from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2018 with the following search terms used in the title or in the abstract: "anhedonia AND suicid*." We obtained a total of 155 articles; 133 items were excluded using specific exclusion criteria, the remaining 22 articles included were divided into six groups based on the psychiatric diagnosis: mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other diagnoses, attempted suicides, and others (healthy subjects). : The results of this review reveal inconsistencies. Some studies reported that high anhedonia scores were associated with suicidal behavior (regardless of the diagnosis), while other studies found that low anhedonia scores were associated with suicidal behavior, and a few studies reported no association. The most consistent association between anhedonia and suicidal behavior was found for affective disorders (7 of 7 studies reported a significant positive association) and for PTSD (3 of 3 studies reported a positive association). In the two studies of patients with schizophrenia, one found no association, and one found a negative association. For patients who attempted suicide (undiagnosed), one study found a positive association, one a positive association only for depressed attempters, and one a negative association. : We found the most consistent positive association for patients with affective disorders and PTSD, indicating that the assessment of anhedonia may be useful in the evaluation of suicidal risk.
Topics: Anhedonia; Humans; Risk Factors; Suicide
PubMed: 31405085
DOI: 10.3390/medicina55080458 -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2022Alexithymia and anhedonia are associated with psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The COVID-19 pandemic lead to a significant deterioration in the...
Alexithymia and anhedonia are associated with psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. The COVID-19 pandemic lead to a significant deterioration in the mental health of the population. It is therefore important to examine the effects of lockdown on alexithymia and anhedonia and their relationships with anxiety and depression. We compared the scores and characteristics of 286 patients divided into two groups: one before lockdown (group 1, = 127), the other during the progressive lockdown release (group 2, = 159). The groups were homogeneous in terms of age, sex ratio, socio-professional categories, and somatic and psychiatric comorbidities. The groups were compared on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) measuring alexithymia, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) measuring depression, the anhedonia subscale of the BDI-II measuring state-anhedonia and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) measuring state and trait anxiety. The ratio of alexithymic subjects in group 1 is 22.83% to 33.33% in group 2 (-value = 0.034). This suggests a significant increase in the number of alexithymic patients after lockdown. We did not observe any difference in the proportion of depressed and anxious subjects before or after lockdown. Among the different scales, higher scores were only found on the cognitive factor of alexithymia on group 2 comparatively to group 1. This study indicates an increase in the proportion of alexithymic subjects following lockdown. Unexpectedly, this was unrelated to depression, anxiety or anhedonia levels, which remained stable. Further studies are needed to confirm this result and to evaluate precisely which factors related to the lockdown context are responsible for such an increase.
Topics: Humans; Affective Symptoms; Anhedonia; Prevalence; Depression; COVID-19; Belgium; Pandemics; Communicable Disease Control; Anxiety
PubMed: 36430003
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215264 -
Social Cognitive and Affective... Nov 2020Trauma exposure is associated with increased inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. C-reactive protein [CRP] and cytokines), and inflammation has been shown to impact...
Trauma exposure is associated with increased inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. C-reactive protein [CRP] and cytokines), and inflammation has been shown to impact corticostriatal reward circuitry and increase anhedonia-related symptoms. We examined resting-state functional MRI in a high-trauma inner-city population of African-American women (n = 56), who reported on average five different types of trauma exposures, to investigate whether inflammation correlated with functional connectivity (FC) in corticostriatal reward circuitry in association with symptoms of anhedonia and PTSD. Plasma CRP negatively correlated with bilateral ventral striatum (VS) to ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) FC (P < 0.01). In participants where plasma was available to also measure cytokines and their soluble receptors, left (L)VS-vmPFC FC negatively correlated with an inflammatory composite score (previously shown to be increased in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of depressed patients with high CRP) only in women with significant PTSD symptoms (n = 14; r = -0.582, P = 0.029) and those who experienced moderate-severe childhood trauma (r = -0.595, P = 0.009). Exploratory analyses indicated that LVS-vmPFC FC correlated with anhedonia-related subscales from the Beck Depression Inventory (r = -0.691, P = 0.004) and PTSD Symptom Scale (avoidance/numbness; r = -0.514, P = 0.042) in participants with an inflammatory score over the median (n = 16). Results suggest that inflammation contributes to compromised reward circuitry and symptoms of anhedonia and PTSD in trauma-exposed women.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Anhedonia; C-Reactive Protein; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Reward; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Young Adult
PubMed: 32291455
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz100