Cited by 406Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorTreatment of Major Depression

The role of the nucleus accumbens and rostral anterior cingulate cortex in anhedonia: integration of resting EEG, fMRI, and volumetric techniques

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Wacker, Jan, Dillon, Daniel G., Pizzagalli, Diego A.·2009·NeuroImage

Abstract

Anhedonia, the reduced propensity to experience pleasure, is a promising endophenotype and vulnerability factor for several psychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia. In the present study, we used resting electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and volumetric analyses to probe putative associations between anhedonia and individual differences in key nodes of the brain's reward system in a non-clinical sample. We found that anhedonia, but not other symptoms of depression or anxiety, was correlated with reduced nucleus accumbens (NAcc) responses to rewards (gains in a monetary incentive delay task), reduced NAcc volume, and increased resting delta current density (i.e., decreased resting activity) in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), an area previously implicated in positive subjective experience. In addition, NAcc reward responses were inversely associated with rACC resting delta activity, supporting the hypothesis that delta might be lawfully related to activity within the brain's reward circuit. Taken together, these results help elucidate the neural basis of anhedonia and strengthen the argument for anhedonia as an endophenotype for depression.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.01.058

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  • The reduced nucleus accumbens activity observed in this study may have contributed to depressive behaviors in adolescents with early-life stress by increasing anhedonic states.

    “Hypoactivity of the NAcc has been associated with the anhedonic aspects of depression (Wacker et al., 2009); therefore the NAcc hypoactivity observed in the current study may have contributed to the depressive behaviors in adolescents with ELS by increasing anhedonic states, a notion supported by the self-reported mood ratings in ELS adolescents (low positive affect, high negative affect).”
  • Reduced nucleus accumbens activity has been linked to the anhedonic aspects of depression.

    “Hypoactivity of the NAcc has been associated with the anhedonic aspects of depression (Wacker et al., 2009); therefore the NAcc hypoactivity observed in the current study may have contributed to the depressive behaviors in adolescents with ELS by increasing anhedonic states, a notion supported by the self-reported mood ratings in ELS adolescents (low positive affect, high negative affect).”
  • Reduced mesolimbic activity in MDD is found during reward anticipation and outcomes in both adults and children, and during reward learning.

    “Reduced mesolimbic activity in MDD has been found during reward anticipation and outcomes in both adults and children [210,219-227] and during reward learning [206].”

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  1. Chang AY Kuo TB Tsai TH Chen CF Chan SH 1995 Power spectral analysis of electroencephalographic desynchronization induced by cocaine in rats: correlation with evaluation of noradrenergic neurotransmission at the medial prefrontal cortex Synapse 21 149 157 8584976

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Authors
Wacker, J., Dillon, D. G., & Pizzagalli, D. A.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Pizzagalli, Diego A.
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-05-15
Volume
46
Issue
1
Pages
327-337
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2102857043
Cited by
405
References
101
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 25
FWCI
12.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH068376, R01 MH68376)
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (R21AT002974)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
Keywords
anhedonia, nucleus accumbens, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, reward processing, endophenotypes, depression, schizophrenia, reward systems, individual differences, brain volume
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Anxiety, Depression, Electroencephalography, Female, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Nucleus Accumbens, Reward, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

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