Diminished effort on a progressive ratio task in both unipolar and bipolar depression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Amotivation, or decisional anhedonia, is a prominent and disabling feature of depression. However, this aspect of depression remains understudied, and no prior work has applied objective laboratory tests of motivation in both unipolar and bipolar depression.

Methods

We assessed motivation deficits using a Progressive Ratio Task (PRT) that indexes willingness to exert effort for monetary reward. The PRT was administered to 96 adults ages 18-60 including 25 participants with a current episode of unipolar depression, 28 with bipolar disorder (current episode depressed), and 43 controls without any Axis I psychiatric disorders.

Results

Depressed participants exhibited significantly lower motivation than control participants as objectively defined by progressive

SUBMITTER: Hershenberg R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4808384 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature