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Induced worry increases risk aversion in patients with generalized anxiety
Juliana K Sporrer1, Alexandra Johann2, Justin Chumbley3
1Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, and Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Behavioural Brain Research
|August 10, 2024
Summary
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves altered decision-making. This study found that increased risk aversion in patients with GAD symptoms was linked to worry, not a cause of anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is linked to decision-making impairments, specifically heightened risk aversion.
- It remains unclear if this risk aversion is a cause or consequence of anxiety symptoms like worry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether uncertainty bias in decision-making is a trait or state phenomenon in individuals with Major Depression Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety (GA) symptoms.
- To examine the causal relationship between anxiety symptoms and decision-making biases.
Main Methods:
- An economic decision-making task was administered to MDD patients with (N=16) and without (N=24) GA symptoms, and healthy controls (N=23).
- Participants completed the task before and after a worry induction procedure.
- Computational prospect-theoretic modeling was used to estimate risk and loss aversion.
Main Results:
- No baseline differences in risk or loss aversion were found between groups.
- Following worry induction, patients with GA symptoms exhibited significantly increased risk aversion compared to those without GA symptoms.
- The increase in risk aversion correlated with the severity of anxiety symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Decision-making alterations in anxiety disorders may be state-dependent, driven by anxiety symptoms such as worry, rather than being a causal trait.
- Findings suggest focusing on worry management in treatments and interventions for anxiety disorders.
- Standardizing emotional states in research on decision-making in anxiety is recommended.
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