Dataset Information

Catch the drift: Depressive symptoms track neural response during more efficient decision-making for negative self-referents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adolescence is a time of heightened risk for developing depression and also a critical period for the development and integration of self-identity. Despite this, the relation between the neurophysiological correlates of self-referential processing and major depressive symptoms in youth is not well understood. Here, we leverage computational modeling of the self-referential encoding task (SRET) to identify behavioral moderators of the association between the posterior late positive potential (LPP), an event-related potential associated with emotion regulation, and youth self-reported symptoms of depression. Specifically, within a drift-diffusion framework, we evaluated whether the association between the posterior LPP and youth symptoms of major depression was moderated by drift rate, a parameter reflecting processing efficiency during self-evaluative decisions.

Methods

A sample of 106 adolescents, aged 12 to 17 (53% male; M_age = 14.49, SD = 1.70), completed the SRET with concurrent high-density electroencephalography and self-report measures of depression and anxiety.

Results

Findings indicated a significant moderation: for youth showing greater processing efficiency (drift rate) when responding to negative compared to positive words, larger posterior LPPs predicted greater depressive symptom severity.

Limitations

We relied on a community sample and our study was cross-sectional in nature. Future longitudinal work with clinically depressed youth would be beneficial.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a neurobehavioral model of adolescent depression wherein efficient processing of negative information co-occurs with increased demands on affective self-regulation. Our findings also have clinical relevance; youth's neurophysiological response (posterior LPP) and performance during the SRET may serve as a novel target for tracking treatment-related changes in one's self-identity.

SUBMITTER: Castagna PJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10310306 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Catch the drift: Depressive symptoms track neural response during more efficient decision-making for negative self-referents.

Castagna Peter J PJ Waters Allison C AC Edgar Elizabeth V EV Budagzad-Jacobson Rotem R Crowley Michael J MJ

Journal of affective disorders reports 20230519

<h4>Background</h4>Adolescence is a time of heightened risk for developing depression and also a critical period for the development and integration of self-identity. Despite this, the relation between the neurophysiological correlates of self-referential processing and major depressive symptoms in youth is not well understood. Here, we leverage computational modeling of the self-referential encoding task (SRET) to identify behavioral moderators of the association between the posterior late posi ...[more]

PMID: 37396954

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Project description:BackgroundGeneral practitioners (GPs) provide the most antidepressant prescriptions and psychologist referrals in Australia, yet little is known about how they decide between treatments for depressive symptoms.AimsThis study examined the decision cues that GPs use when deciding how to treat depressive symptoms and the meaning they attribute to these associations.MethodsStructured interviews were conducted with 16 Australian GPs in a "think-aloud" verbal protocol analysis format. The transcripts were analyzed using content coding and thematic analysis, informed by the dual processes model of decision making.ResultsParticipants associated prescribing antidepressants with severe depressive symptoms, and psychologist referrals were the preferred initial treatment provided patients were willing to engage. Four main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 1) psychologist as default, 2) the risk is just too high, 3) medication as supplement, and 4) drivers of antidepressants. Contrary to previous findings, participants identified a strong heuristic association between depressive symptoms and psychologist referral. Antidepressant prescription was associated with severe symptoms, higher risk, and a cluster of cues that lead them away from psychologist referral.ConclusionsParticipants demonstrated an oversensitivity to depressive symptom severity, associating psychologist referrals with subclinical depressive symptoms, and starting antidepressants for suicidal ideation and significant functional decline.HighlightsPsychologist referrals were the default preference for GPs when treating depressive symptoms, whereas antidepressants were reserved for patients with elevated risk from severe depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.Participants' conceptualization of depression severity was oversensitive compared with treatment guidelines.Contrary to treatment guidelines, GPs in this study demonstrated their discomfort for referring patients with suicidal ideation to a psychologist without initiating antidepressants.GPs should consider whether patients within their mild to moderate assessment range can be treated exclusively with more cost-effective means than psychological therapy such as e-mental health programs, guided self-help, and lifestyle changes alone.

Dataset Information

Catch the drift: Depressive symptoms track neural response during more efficient decision-making for negative self-referents.

Background

Methods

Results

Limitations

Conclusions

Publications

Catch the drift: Depressive symptoms track neural response during more efficient decision-making for negative self-referents.

Similar Datasets

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