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Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
Published on: February 4, 2016
The specificity of Pavlovian regulation is associated with recovery from depression
Q J M Huys1, M Gölzer2, E Friedel2
1Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging,University College London,London,UK.
Background:
Changes in reflexive emotional responses are hallmarks of depression, but how emotional reflexes make an impact on adaptive decision-making in depression has not been examined formally. Using a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) task, we compared the influence of affectively valenced stimuli on decision-making in depression and generalized anxiety disorder compared with healthy controls; and related this to the longitudinal course of the illness.
Method:
A total of 40 subjects with a current DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of major depressive disorder, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, or a combination thereof, and 40 matched healthy controls performed a PIT task that assesses how instrumental approach and withdrawal behaviours are influenced by appetitive and aversive Pavlovian conditioned stimuli (CSs). Patients were followed up after 4-6 months. Analyses focused on patients with depression alone (n = 25).
Results:
In healthy controls, Pavlovian CSs exerted action-specific effects, with appetitive CSs boosting active approach and aversive CSs active withdrawal. This action-specificity was absent in currently depressed subjects. Greater action-specificity in patients was associated with better recovery over the follow-up period.
Conclusions:
Depression is associated with an abnormal influence of emotional reactions on decision-making in a way that may predict recovery.
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