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An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children
Published on: October 4, 2018
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Autistic Traits Affect Reward Anticipation but not Reception
Magdalena Matyjek1,2, Mareike Bayer3,4, Isabel Dziobek3,4
1Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany. magdalena.matyjek@hu-berlin.de.
Scientific Reports
|May 23, 2020
Summary
Individuals with higher autistic traits show enhanced reward anticipation but not reception. This suggests autistic traits impact reward processing differently across anticipation and reception phases, particularly with social cues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Developmental Science
Background:
- Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are associated with altered reward processing.
- It is unclear if this dysfunction is general or specific to social stimuli.
- The impact on reward anticipation versus reception phases is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate reward anticipation and reception in neurotypical individuals with varying autistic traits.
- To differentiate between social and monetary reward processing.
- To examine the role of autistic traits in these processes.
Main Methods:
- Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were used.
- A population-based approach analyzed individuals with varying autistic traits.
- Social (faces) and monetary rewards were presented.
Main Results:
- Higher autistic traits correlated with enhanced reward anticipation (early phase, CNV component).
- Reward reception (P3 component) showed a general increase for monetary rewards, unaffected by autistic traits.
- No interaction was found between reward types and autistic traits.
Conclusions:
- Autistic traits are linked to heightened reward anticipation, not reception.
- Social reward relevance may normalize responses in individuals with high autistic traits.
- Findings contribute to understanding reward processing in the context of autistic traits.
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