Elevated integration within the reward network underlies vulnerability to distress.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Distress tolerance (DT) is crucial for managing negative emotions and underlies various psychopathologies.
• The reward system's neural networks may play a role in the development of DT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between DT and the integration/segregation of the brain's reward network.
• To determine if functional connectivity within the reward network is associated with varying levels of DT.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess functional connectivity in 147 participants.
• Whole-brain functional connectivity networks were constructed to analyze reward network integration and segregation.
• Distress tolerance was measured using the Behavioral Indicator of Resiliency to Distress task.

Main Results:

• Participants with lower DT exhibited significantly higher reward network integration compared to those with higher DT.
• This heightened integration in the reward network was more pronounced relative to the entire brain and the somatomotor network.
• The somatomotor network is known to be involved in impulsive behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Increased integration within large-scale brain networks, particularly the reward network, is associated with distress intolerance.
• These findings suggest that heightened reward network integration may be a neural risk factor for distress intolerance and associated psychopathological conditions.