Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between anhedonia and structural brain alterations. Anhedonia, defined as a diminished ability to experience pleasure, is a core symptom of depression and has predictive value regarding the course of illness, episode severity, and suicidality. The study includes both individuals diagnosed with depression and healthy controls. Structural brain morphometry was assessed through measures of grey matter volume (GMV), cortical thickness (CT), and gyrification (GYR). Anhedonia was measured using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), enabling a qualitative assessment of this symptom.
Results corrected by family-wise error (FWE) revealed positive correlations in participants with depression. While previous research has linked depression to alterations in the frontal lobe as well as in the cingulate gyrus, this study rather found associations between anhedonia and the grey matter volume. Particularly in the left precentral gyrus extending to the inferior frontal gyrus, as well as cortical thickness in the right postcentral gyrus. Furthermore, analysis revealed structural differences between the individuals with depression and controls, suggesting more pronounced structural brain changes associated with anhedonia in participants with depression.
Comparison with earlier studies is challenging because of methodological differences, including sample size and varying conceptualizations of anhedonia (narrow vs. broad definitions). Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that anhedonia may be part of an underlying feature of personality, indicating a need for further clarification.
Future research is required to investigate the link between anhedonia and personality dimensions. Considering distinct facets of anhedonia, such as anticipation, interest, receptivity, willingness to invest, and hedonic response, may contribute to more refined study designs and a deeper understanding of its neurobiological underpinnings
Review
Metadata
License
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution 4.0 International
