Using Multilevel Modeling to Examine Blunted Neural Responses to Reward in Major Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a pernicious disorder characterized by deficits in reward processing. A better understanding of these deficits may help to elucidate the underlying pathophysiology and guide treatment development.

This study assessed reward positivity and feedback negativity event-related potentials and their difference scores elicited in response to monetary gains and losses among 100 young adults (52 with MDD). Multilevel modeling was used to assess individual- and trial-level change in neural responses over time.

Trial-level analyses indicated that a diagnosis of MDD and depressive symptom severity significantly moderated the trajectory of reward positivity, with individuals with higher symptoms of depression demonstrating less sensitivity to rewards over time.

These results provide further support for reward dysfunction in MDD and highlight important individual differences in the trajectory of neural responses to reward. Future studies are warranted to investigate reward sensitivity over time to elucidate important individual- and trial-level differences in reward processing.