Conduct Disorder Is Associated With Heightened Action Initiation and Reduced Learning From Punishment but Not Reward

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ruth Pauli - , University of Birmingham (Author)
  • Inti Brazil - , Radboud University Nijmegen (Author)
  • Gregor Kohls - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Tobias U. Hauser - , Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Aging Research, University College London, University Hospital Tübingen, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG) Partner Site Tübingen (Author)
  • Lisa Gistelinck - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Dimitris Dikeos - , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Roberta Dochnal - , University of Szeged (Author)
  • Graeme Fairchild - , University of Bath (Author)
  • Aranzazu Fernández-Rivas - , Hospital de Basurto (Author)
  • Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Amaia Hervas - , University Hospital Mutua Terrassa (Author)
  • Kerstin Konrad - , JARA-Brain Institute II Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (Author)
  • Arne Popma - , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) (Author)
  • Christina Stadler - , University of Basel (Author)
  • Christine M. Freitag - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Stephane A. De Brito - , University of Birmingham (Author)
  • Patricia L. Lockwood - , University of Birmingham (Author)

Abstract

Background: Theoretical and empirical accounts of conduct disorder (CD) suggest problems with reinforcement learning as well as heightened impulsivity. These 2 facets can manifest in similar behavior, such as risk taking. Computational models that can dissociate learning from impulsive initiation of actions are essential for understanding the cognitive mechanisms that underlie CD. Methods: A large, international sample of youths from 11 European countries (N = 1418; typically developing [TD] n = 742, CD n = 676) completed a learning task. We used computational modeling to disentangle reward and punishment learning from action initiation. Results: Punishment learning rates were significantly reduced in youths with CD compared with their TD peers, suggesting that youths with CD did not update their actions based on punishment outcomes as strongly. Intriguingly, youths with CD also had a greater tendency to initiate actions regardless of outcomes, although their ability to learn from reward was comparable to that of their TD peers. We also observed that variability in action initiation correlated with self-reported impulsivity in youths with CD. Conclusions: These findings provide empirical support for a reduced ability to learn from punishment in CD, while reward learning is typical. Our results also suggest that behaviors that appear superficially to reflect reward learning differences may reflect heightened impulsive action initiation instead. Such asymmetric learning from reward and punishment, with increased action initiation, could have important implications for tailoring learning-based interventions to help individuals with CD.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)904-914
Number of pages11
JournalBiological psychiatry
Volume98
Issue number12
Early online date14 Mar 2025
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 14 Mar 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40090563
ORCID /0000-0003-2408-2939/work/187998926

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Action initiation, Conduct disorder, Passive avoidance learning, Punishment, Reinforcement learning, Reward