Extraversion but not depression predicts reward sensitivity: Revisiting the measurement of anhedonic phenotypes.

Abstract

Recently, increasing efforts have been made to define and measure dimensional phenotypes associated with psychiatric disorders. One example is a probabilistic reward task developed by Pizzagalli, Jahn, and O’Shea (2005) to assess anhedonia, by measuring response to a differential reinforcement schedule. This task has been used in many studies, which have connected blunted reward response in the task to depressive symptoms, across clinical groups and in the general population. The current study attempted to replicate these findings in a large community sample and also investigated possible associations with Extraversion, a personality trait linked to reward sensitivity. Participants (N = 299) completed the probabilistic reward task, as well as the Beck Depression Inventory, Personality Inventory for the DSM–5, Big Five Inventory, and Big Five Aspect Scales. Our direct replication attempts used bivariate correlations and analysis of variance models. Follow-up and extension analyses used structural equation models to assess relations among reward sensitivity, depression, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. No significant associations were found between reward sensitivity and depression, thus failing to replicate previous findings. Reward sensitivity (both modeled as response bias aggregated across blocks and as response bias controlling for baseline) showed positive associations with Extraversion, but not Neuroticism. Findings suggest reward sensitivity as measured by this task may be related primarily to Extraversion and its pathological manifestations, rather than to depression per se, consistent with existing models that conceptualize depressive symptoms as combining features of Neuroticism and low Extraversion. Findings are discussed in broader contexts of dimensional psychopathology frameworks, replicable science, and behavioral task reliability.

Multi-modal assessment of reward functioning in adolescent anhedonia

“…However, recent evidence suggests that personality (i.e. extraversion) may be more closely linked to reward learning than depression or anhedonia (Blain et al, 2021), and that Bayesian computational modeling approaches may better differentiate reward learning deficits in individuals with depression compared to controls (Lawlor et al, 2020). Alternatively, our findings may show evidence of specific anticipatory deficits in youth with anhedonia rather than reward learning.…”

Do Emotion Dysregulation, Alexithymia and Personality Dimensions Explain the Association Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Binge Eating Among Bariatric Surgery Candidates?

“…The first component is "high reward sensitivity, " linked to the dopamine circuit from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens. This leads to repeated food intake to experience pleasant affect, and is especially correlated with the extraversion personality trait (Blain et al, 2020). The second component is "low cognitive control, " linked to the anterior insula and prefrontal areas.…”

Intelligence Predicts Sensory Discrimination Ability but Not Implicit Reward Learning

“…A thorough explanation of this operationalization of change in response bias is described by Blain and colleagues (2021). We used this procedure of controlling for baseline response bias and sensory discrimination ability in the present analyses because of its particular advantages over computing difference scores (i.e., differences in response bias or sensory discrimination ability from Block 1 to Block 2 or 3).…”

“…The full results of the probabilistic reward task performance reported by Blain and colleagues (2021) are summarized in Table E1 and Figure E1 in the . Despite the use of a previously analyzed dataset, the analyses in the present research test hypotheses that are distinct from those tested by Blain and colleagues (2021). The present research incorporates previously unexamined associations between intelligence, response bias, and sensory discrimination ability.…”