Social anhedonia in major depressive disorder: a symptom-specific neuroimaging approach

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Verena Enneking - , University of Münster (Joint first author)
  • Pia Krüssel - , University of Münster (Joint first author)
  • Dario Zaremba - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Katharina Dohm - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Dominik Grotegerd - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Katharina Förster - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Susanne Meinert - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Christian Bürger - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Fanni Dzvonyar - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Elisabeth J. Leehr - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Joscha Böhnlein - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Jonathan Repple - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Nils Opel - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Nils R. Winter - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Tim Hahn - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Ronny Redlich - , University of Münster (Joint last author)
  • Udo Dannlowski - , University of Münster (Joint last author)

Abstract

While research concerning brain structural biomarkers of major depressive disorder (MDD) is continuously progressing, our state of knowledge regarding biomarkers of specific clinical profiles of MDD is still limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate brain structural correlates of social anhedonia as a cardinal symptom of MDD. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated n = 166 patients with MDD and n = 166 matched healthy controls (HC) using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Social anhedonia was assessed using the Chapman Scales for Social Anhedonia (SAS). An anhedonia x group ANCOVA was performed in a region of interest approach of the dorsal and ventral striatum (bilateral caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens respectively) as well as on whole-brain level. The analyses revealed a significant main effect for social anhedonia: higher SAS-scores were associated with reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral caudate nucleus in both the MDD-group (p FWE = 0.002) and the HC-group (p FWE = 0.032). The whole-brain analysis confirmed this association (left: p FWE = 0.036, right: p FWE = 0.047). There was no significant main effect of group and no significant anhedonia x group interaction effect. This is the first study providing evidence for volumetric aberrations in the reward system related to social anhedonia independently of diagnosis, depression severity, medication status, and former course of disease. These results support the hypothesis that social anhedonia has a brain biomarker serving as a possible endophenotype of depression and possibly providing an alternative approach for a more precise and effective treatment.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)883-889
Number of pages7
JournalNeuropsychopharmacology
Volume44
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2019
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 30607014
PubMedCentral PMC6461766

Keywords