Inflammation-induced depressed mood and reward responsivity as a function of age in female adults: a randomized controlled trial of endotoxin.

ABSTRACT: Younger female adults are more vulnerable to depression than older females, potentially due to a greater affective response to inflammation. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated depressed mood and reward responsivity in response to an acute inflammatory challenge in younger as compared to older females. Low-dose endotoxin (0.8 ng/kg of body weight) or placebo was administered to younger (n = 40; age 25-44) and older (n = 53; age 60-80) healthy female adults. Participants provided blood samples and self-reported depressed mood pre-infusion and hourly over 9 h. The Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) and Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT) assessed reward motivation, sensitivity, and learning at baseline and 2.5 h after infusion. Results showed that age moder

SUBMITTER: Boyle CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12783272 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature