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Neural Responses to Reward and Psychosis Dimensions.
Brady D Nelson1, Marcela E Gallardo2, Katherine G Jonas2
1Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA.
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|September 28, 2025
Summary
Blunted electroencephalography (EEG) responses to reward are linked to psychosis dimensions. Cognitive deficits play a role in this association, highlighting the importance of executive functions in understanding psychosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Psychotic disorders involve deficits in motivation and reward processing.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) studies on these deficits have yielded inconsistent results.
- This study addresses limitations by examining multiple EEG reward responses across psychosis dimensions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between various EEG neural responses to reward and distinct psychosis dimensions.
- To explore the mediating role of cognitive functions in the relationship between neural reward responses and psychosis.
Main Methods:
- 362 adults (169 with psychotic disorder history) completed a monetary guessing task.
- EEG measured reward positivity (RewP), delta activity (win), and theta activity (loss).
- Clinical interviews and neuropsychological tests assessed psychosis and cognitive function.
Main Results:
- No group differences in RewP, but blunted delta (win) and theta (loss) activity in psychotic disorder groups.
- Blunted RewP, delta, and theta activity correlated with higher psychosis dimension scores.
- Executive functions mediated the link between delta/theta activity and psychosis dimensions.
Conclusions:
- Blunted EEG reward responses are associated with dimensional aspects of psychosis.
- Cognitive deficits are crucial for understanding the neural response to reward in psychosis.
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