Role of contingency in striatal response to incentive in adolescents with anxiety

Abstract

This study examines the effect of contingency on reward function in anxiety. We define contingency as the aspect of a situation in which the outcome is determined by one's action-that is, when there is a direct link between one's action and the outcome of the action. Past findings in adolescents with anxiety or at risk for anxiety have revealed hypersensitive behavioral and neural responses to higher value rewards with correct performance. This hypersensitivity to highly valued (salient) actions suggests that the value of actions is determined not only by outcome magnitude, but also by the degree to which the outcome is contingent on correct performance. Thus, contingency and incentive value might each modulate reward responses in unique ways in anxiety. Using fMRI with a monetary reward task, striatal response to cue anticipation is compared in 18 clinically anxious and 20 healthy adolescents. This task manipulates orthogonally reward contingency and incentive value. Findings suggest that contingency modulates the neural response to incentive magnitude differently in the two groups. Specifically, during the contingent condition, right-striatal response tracks incentive value in anxious, but not healthy, adolescents. During the noncontingent condition, striatal response is bilaterally stronger to low than to high incentive in anxious adolescents, while healthy adolescents exhibit the expected opposite pattern. Both contingency and reward magnitude differentiate striatal activation in anxious versus healthy adolescents. These findings may reflect exaggerated concern about performance and/or alterations of striatal coding of reward value in anxious adolescents. Abnormalities in reward function in anxiety may have treatment implications.

Striatum on the anxiety map: Small detours into adolescence

“…For example, Benson et al (2015) reported higher striatal activation to low- than to high-valued outcomes in anxious individuals (a pattern not seen in healthy controls). This indicates that anxious individuals tend to assign greater salience to low rewards than to high rewards, perhaps because of the relative negative value of low vs. higher rewards (Benson et al, 2015). …”

“…Taken together, these data support the notion that anxious adolescents, or those at risk for anxiety, have a bias for avoiding negative outcomes compared to receiving a reward. This bias may be ascribed to high motivation to avoid, which can contribute to risk aversion, threat bias, and/or behavioral avoidance (Benson et al, 2015; Galván and Peris, 2014; Helfinstein et al, 2011). Overall, the implication of motivation processes in anxiety calls for a primary involvement of striatal function in the pathogenesis of anxiety.…”

Prediction Error Representation in Individuals With Generalized Anxiety Disorder During Passive Avoidance

“…Relatively few studies have examined reinforcement-based decision-making in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and most have examined adolescents with the disorder (15–18). These studies have typically reported reduced responsiveness (other than within anterior insula cortex).…”

“…These studies have typically reported reduced responsiveness (other than within anterior insula cortex). Thus, adolescent individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, relative to controls, showed a reduced increase in activity within caudate/putamen in anticipation of, and when receiving, reward following responding to high relative to low reward cues (15). Similarly, anxious adolescents (predominantly individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder) showed less ventral putamen activity relative to controls during risky relative to safe choices for monetary rewards (16).…”

“…However, Guyer, Choate (18) did report typical recruitment of striatal regions by adolescents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder during the anticipation of reward on the Monetary Incentive Delay task. Moreover, Benson, Guyer (15) reported that if participants with anxiety were required to chose between two responses, they showed greater increases in activity within caudate/putamen in anticipation of (and when receiving) reward following high relative to low reward cues compared to controls. Finally, Engelmann, Meyer (19) reported that anticipatory anxiety increased EV signaling of punishment within anterior insula cortex in healthy adults, while Galvan and Peris (16) reported that anxious adolescents showed greater anterior insula cortex activity relative to controls during risky relative to safe choices when responding to avoid losing money.…”