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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • Fatigue is a primary symptom in major depressive disorder (MDD).
  • In healthy individuals, fatigue correlates with reduced willingness to exert effort.
  • The impact of fatigue on effort-based decision-making in MDD remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how cognitive effort is traded for rewards in individuals with MDD.
  • To examine the influence of fatigue and depressed mood on effort-based decision-making in MDD.

Main Methods:

  • A forced-choice paradigm was used with healthy participants (n=26) and individuals with MDD (n=18).
  • Participants chose between low-effort/small-reward and high-effort/large-reward cognitive tasks.
  • Factor analysis of Beck Depression Inventory and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale scores informed hierarchical mixed-effects models.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with MDD demonstrated a higher preference for low-effort/low-reward options compared to healthy controls.
  • Increased fatigue levels in MDD were associated with a higher perceived cost of cognitive effort.
  • Fatigue scores showed a stronger correlation with effort-based choices than depressed mood scores.

Conclusions:

  • Fatigue significantly influences effort-based decision-making in MDD, potentially reducing goal-directed behavior.
  • Findings highlight fatigue as a critical factor in diminished motivation in MDD.
  • Understanding this link may inform more effective treatment strategies for MDD.