Testing the Neuroscience of Guided Learning in Depression
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Depression, Depression, Major Depression Disorder (MDD) |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology, Pulmonary / Respiratory Diseases |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 55 |
| Updated: | 10/20/2018 |
| Start Date: | May 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | January 2021 |
| Contact: | Pearl Chiu, PhD |
| Email: | chiup@vtc.vt.edu |
| Phone: | 540-526-2032 |
Neural Substrates of Reinforcement Learning and Its Training in Major Depression
Major depression is a prevalent and impairing illness. To better understand the basic science
and treatment of depression, the investigators study the behavioral and brain processes
associated with learning in depression and how potential disruptions in learning may be
repaired. Understanding different methods that change learning may lead to novel treatments
that contribute to recovery in people with depression.
and treatment of depression, the investigators study the behavioral and brain processes
associated with learning in depression and how potential disruptions in learning may be
repaired. Understanding different methods that change learning may lead to novel treatments
that contribute to recovery in people with depression.
Major depressive disorder ranks among the most significant causes of mortality and disability
in the world. Recent data from the investigators and others highlight that impairments in
reward and loss learning are central to depression, have distinct neural substrates, and
improve with successful treatment. Together, these findings suggest an urgent need to
delineate the relationships among neural and behavioral learning impairments and depression.
Equally important, these insights suggest new targets for treatment such that manipulating
the neural and behavioral substrates of learning may facilitate symptom change in depression.
To address these issues, the investigators use functional neuroimaging and a computational
psychiatry framework to i) systematically characterize the neural and behavioral substrates
that attend reward- and loss- learning in depression and ii) assess the degree to which
learning in depression responds to two behavioral methods that target learning in different
ways. The investigators test the broad hypotheses that i) that depression may be
characterized by distinct neural and behavioral disruptions of learning, and ii) these
disruptions and associated symptoms may be ameliorated through different methods of guiding
learning. Recent advances in computational psychiatry provide a mechanism-based framework
within which to understand the nature and trajectory of potential learning impairments in
depression and suggest new ways that disrupted learning and associated symptoms may be
improved in depression
in the world. Recent data from the investigators and others highlight that impairments in
reward and loss learning are central to depression, have distinct neural substrates, and
improve with successful treatment. Together, these findings suggest an urgent need to
delineate the relationships among neural and behavioral learning impairments and depression.
Equally important, these insights suggest new targets for treatment such that manipulating
the neural and behavioral substrates of learning may facilitate symptom change in depression.
To address these issues, the investigators use functional neuroimaging and a computational
psychiatry framework to i) systematically characterize the neural and behavioral substrates
that attend reward- and loss- learning in depression and ii) assess the degree to which
learning in depression responds to two behavioral methods that target learning in different
ways. The investigators test the broad hypotheses that i) that depression may be
characterized by distinct neural and behavioral disruptions of learning, and ii) these
disruptions and associated symptoms may be ameliorated through different methods of guiding
learning. Recent advances in computational psychiatry provide a mechanism-based framework
within which to understand the nature and trajectory of potential learning impairments in
depression and suggest new ways that disrupted learning and associated symptoms may be
improved in depression
Inclusion Criteria:
- males and females of all ethnicities
- meet diagnostic criteria for major depression or non-depressed control (assessed by
study staff)
- ages 18-55
- fluent in English
- able to see computer display clearly
- able to provide informed consent
- able to follow verbal or written instructions
- for participants who are referred by a clinician, a letter from that clinician
indicating that participation in the study does not constitute an elevated medical or
behavioral risk to the participant will be requested.
Exclusion Criteria:
- current pregnancy or menopause
- claustrophobia
- MRI contraindications
- psychotic or bipolar disorder
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