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Social reward processing: A biomarker for predicting psychosis risk?
Andrea Pelletier-Baldelli1, Joseph M Orr2, Jessica A Bernard2
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1905 Colorado Ave., Boulder, CO 80309, United States of America; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1905 Colorado Ave., Boulder, CO 80309, United States of America.
Schizophrenia Research
|August 11, 2018
Summary
This study explored social reward processing in adolescents at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR). No significant differences in neural responses were found between CHR youth and healthy controls, suggesting social reward processing may not be a straightforward psychosis biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Background:
- Social reward processing is crucial for relationships and understanding psychopathology.
- Psychosis spectrum disorders often involve impaired social functioning and isolation.
- Identifying biomarkers for psychosis risk is essential for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hedonic experience in social reward processing as a potential biomarker for psychosis risk.
- To compare neural responses to social feedback between adolescents at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR) and healthy controls (HC).
Main Methods:
- Used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a task-based paradigm.
- Examined regional activation and connectivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum.
- Compared responses to positive social feedback versus ambiguous feedback in CHR (n=19) and HC (n=20) adolescents.
Main Results:
- No significant group differences were observed in neural activation or task-based connectivity during social reward processing.
- Exploratory analyses revealed associations between neural reward response, connectivity, and anhedonia symptoms within the CHR group.
- Task limitations complicated the interpretation of findings regarding hedonic processes in CHR youth.
Conclusions:
- The study did not find social reward processing to be a clear biomarker for psychosis risk in adolescents based on the current paradigm.
- Further research with refined methodologies is needed to explore the role of social reward processing in psychosis risk.
- Findings highlight the complexity of social cognition in psychosis risk and suggest avenues for future investigation.
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