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The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dichter, GS; Felder, JN; Petty, C; Bizzell, J; Ernst, M; Smoski, MJ
Published in: Biol Psychiatry
November 1, 2009

BACKGROUND: Unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by anomalous neurobiological responses to pleasant stimuli, a pattern that may be linked to symptoms of anhedonia. However, the potential for psychotherapy to normalize neurobiological responses to pleasant stimuli has not been evaluated. METHODS: Twelve adults with and 15 adults without MDD participated in two identical functional magnetic resonance imaging scans that used a Wheel of Fortune task. Between scans, MDD outpatients received Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression, a psychotherapy modality designed to increase engagement with rewarding stimuli and reduce avoidance behaviors. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of adults with MDD were treatment responders, achieving post-treatment Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of six or below. Relative to changes in brain function in the matched nondepressed group, psychotherapy resulted in functional changes in structures that mediate responses to rewards, including the paracingulate gyrus during reward selection, the right caudate nucleus (i.e., the dorsal striatum), during reward anticipation, and the paracingulate and orbital frontal gyri during reward feedback. There was no effect of diagnostic status or psychotherapy on in-scanner task-related behavioral responses. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression, a psychotherapy modality designed to increase engagement with rewarding stimuli and reduce avoidance behaviors, results in improved functioning of unique reward structures during different temporal phases of responses to pleasurable stimuli, including the dorsal striatum during reward anticipation.

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Published In

Biol Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1873-2402

Publication Date

November 1, 2009

Volume

66

Issue

9

Start / End Page

886 / 897

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Reward
  • Psychotherapy
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Psychiatry
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Dichter, G. S., Felder, J. N., Petty, C., Bizzell, J., Ernst, M., & Smoski, M. J. (2009). The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression. Biol Psychiatry, 66(9), 886–897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.021
Dichter, Gabriel S., Jennifer N. Felder, Christopher Petty, Joshua Bizzell, Monique Ernst, and Moria J. Smoski. “The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression.Biol Psychiatry 66, no. 9 (November 1, 2009): 886–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.021.
Dichter GS, Felder JN, Petty C, Bizzell J, Ernst M, Smoski MJ. The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2009 Nov 1;66(9):886–97.
Dichter, Gabriel S., et al. “The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression.Biol Psychiatry, vol. 66, no. 9, Nov. 2009, pp. 886–97. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.021.
Dichter GS, Felder JN, Petty C, Bizzell J, Ernst M, Smoski MJ. The effects of psychotherapy on neural responses to rewards in major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2009 Nov 1;66(9):886–897.
Journal cover image

Published In

Biol Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1873-2402

Publication Date

November 1, 2009

Volume

66

Issue

9

Start / End Page

886 / 897

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Reward
  • Psychotherapy
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Psychiatry
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major