Dissociating Components of Anhedonia: A Pilot fMRI Study

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Anhedonia, decreased motivation for and sensitivity to rewarding experiences, is present in at least 1/3 of community dwelling older adults and is a feature of various psychiatric and neurological disorders, including late-life depression and Parkinson's disease. Anhedonia is associated with cognitive deficits, as well as poor clinical outcomes and increased mortality. Recent research suggests that anhedonia comprises motivational (reward "wanting") and consummatory (reward "liking") aspects. However, previous research on anhedonia has failed to dissociate these components, which may explain the contradictory findings in the literature. Recently, the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) was developed in an effort to dissociate reward components in anhedonia. The EEfRT is an effort-based decision-making task that measures reward "wanting", in contrast to commonly used anhedonia questionnaires, which focus on reward "liking." This novel task may provide a useful measure of components of anhedonia in older adults and in different patient populations. Thus far no data is available on this task in elderly individuals, and the cognitive and neural correlates of components of the task have not been investigated. Given the paucity of research on the neurobiology of anhedonia, cognitive neuroscience studies using this task could fill a gap in the literature. The investigators are developing a line of cognitive neuroscience studies examining anhedonia in community-dwelling older adults and in late-life depression and Parkinson's disease. This study will involve gathering pilot behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in young and older adults performing the EEfRT task. Understanding the brain mechanisms underlying anhedonia in older adults and in different patient populations will have a translational impact by elucidating biological targets for treatment.

Clinical Trial Description

Twenty young adults (aged 18-38) and 20 older adults (aged 60-80) will perform the EEfRT while fMRI data are acquired. To quantify brain activity associated with reward "wanting," the fMRI activation will be measured while participants view information about reward probability and choose to perform the easy or hard task, with greater reward associated with the hard task. The investigators will measure activation during presentation of reward magnitude to capture brain activity associated with reward "liking." Participants will also complete a brief cognitive battery and anhedonia questionnaires. ;

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Anhedonia

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT02569034
Study type	Interventional
Source	University of Florida
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	N/A
Start date	February 2016
Completion date	May 8, 2018

View Details

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Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.