Zuzana Kasanova1, Jenny Ceccarini2, Michael J Frank3, Thérèse van Amelsvoort4, Jan Booij5, Esther van Duin4, Henrietta Steinhart1,4, Thomas Vaessen1,4, Alexander Heinzel6, Felix Mottaghy6, Inez Myin-Germeys1. 1. Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven - Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium. 2. Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging & Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 3. Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 6. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in reward learning in psychotic disorders have been proposed to be linked to dysregulated subcortical dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission, which in turn is a suspected mechanism for predisposition to psychosis. We therefore explored the striatal dopaminergic modulation of reward processing and its behavioral correlates in individuals at familial risk for psychosis. METHODS: We performed a DA D2/3 receptor [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography scan during a probabilistic reinforcement learning task in 16 healthy first-degree relatives of patients with psychosis and 16 healthy volunteers, followed by a 6-day ecological momentary assessment study capturing reward-oriented behavior in the everyday life. RESULTS: We detected significant reward-induced DA release in bilateral caudate, putamen and ventral striatum of both groups, with no group differences in its magnitude nor spatial extent. In both groups alike, greater extent of reward-induced DA release in all regions of interest was associated with better performance in the task, as well as in greater tendency to be engaged in reward-oriented behavior in the daily life. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest intact striatal dopaminergic modulation of reinforcement learning and reward-oriented behavior in individuals with familial predisposition to psychosis. Furthermore, this study points towards a key link between striatal reward-related DA release and pursuit of ecologically relevant rewards.
BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in reward learning in psychotic disorders have been proposed to be linked to dysregulated subcortical dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission, which in turn is a suspected mechanism for predisposition to psychosis. We therefore explored the striatal dopaminergic modulation of reward processing and its behavioral correlates in individuals at familial risk for psychosis. METHODS: We performed a DA D2/3 receptor [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography scan during a probabilistic reinforcement learning task in 16 healthy first-degree relatives of patients with psychosis and 16 healthy volunteers, followed by a 6-day ecological momentary assessment study capturing reward-oriented behavior in the everyday life. RESULTS: We detected significant reward-induced DA release in bilateral caudate, putamen and ventral striatum of both groups, with no group differences in its magnitude nor spatial extent. In both groups alike, greater extent of reward-induced DA release in all regions of interest was associated with better performance in the task, as well as in greater tendency to be engaged in reward-oriented behavior in the daily life. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest intact striatal dopaminergic modulation of reinforcement learning and reward-oriented behavior in individuals with familial predisposition to psychosis. Furthermore, this study points towards a key link between striatal reward-related DA release and pursuit of ecologically relevant rewards.
Authors: Esther D A van Duin; Jenny Ceccarini; Jan Booij; Zuzana Kasanova; Claudia Vingerhoets; Jytte van Huijstee; Alexander Heinzel; Siamak Mohammadkhani-Shali; Oliver Winz; Felix Mottaghy; Inez Myin-Germeys; Thérèse van Amelsvoort Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2019-04-02 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: Marcella Montagnese; Franziska Knolle; Joost Haarsma; Juliet D Griffin; Alex Richards; Petra E Vertes; Beatrix Kiddle; Paul C Fletcher; Peter B Jones; Michael J Owen; Peter Fonagy; Edward T Bullmore; Raymond J Dolan; Michael Moutoussis; Ian M Goodyer; Graham K Murray Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2020-05-07 Impact factor: 4.939