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The Neurobiology of Motivational Deficits in Depression—An Update on Candidate Pathomechanisms

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Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 27))

Abstract

Anhedonia has long been recognized as a central feature of major depression, yet its neurobiological underpinnings remain poorly understood. While clinical definitions of anhedonia have historically emphasized reductions in pleasure and positive emotionality, there has been growing evidence that motivation may be substantially impaired as well. Here, we review recent evidence suggesting that motivational deficits may reflect an important dimension of symptomatology that is discrete from traditional definitions of anhedonia in terms of both behavior and pathophysiology. In summarizing this work, we highlight two candidate neurobiological mechanisms—elevated inflammation and reduced synaptic plasticity—that may underlie observed reductions in motivation and reinforcement learning in depression.

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Acknowledgements and Disclosures

The author wishes to thank Amanda Arulpragasam for helpful comments. The author declares no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise. The author has served as a paid consultant to Avanir Pharmaceuticals and the Boston Consulting Group. No funding or sponsorship was provided by these companies for the current work, and all views expressed herein are solely those of author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

    Michael T. Treadway

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  1. Michael T. Treadway
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Correspondence to Michael T. Treadway .

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  1. New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA

    Eleanor H. Simpson

  2. Barnard College, Columbia University Barnard College, New York, New York, USA

    Peter D. Balsam

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Treadway, M.T. (2015). The Neurobiology of Motivational Deficits in Depression—An Update on Candidate Pathomechanisms. In: Simpson, E., Balsam, P. (eds) Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 27. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2015_400

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