Article
Neurosciences
Nicole E. Keller, Augustin C. Hennings, Emily K. Leiker, Jarrod A. Lewis-Peacock, Joseph E. Dunsmoor
Summary: Neurobiological evidence suggests that incorporating reward associations with an extinction memory may be an effective strategy to attenuate threat responses. This study compared rewarded extinction to standard extinction in both short-term and long-term retrieval tests and found that rewarded extinction was more effective in reducing arousal and threat expectancy. The study also identified different patterns of brain activity and connectivity between reward-associated extinction and standard extinction.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Keri S. Rosch, Mitchell A. Batschelett, Deana Crocetti, Stewart H. Mostofsky, Karen E. Seymour
Summary: The study investigates the integrity of white matter connections in the fronto-subcortical neural circuitry of children with ADHD and typically developing (TD) controls. The findings suggest that there are differences in these connections between the two groups, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of ADHD. Additionally, the study suggests that the integrity of these connections is related to individual differences in delay discounting, a behavior associated with ADHD, and that there may be sex differences in these relationships.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Rafael Ignacio Gatica, Marcelo Aguilar-Rivera, Pablo Henny, Jose Antonio Fuentealba
Summary: Repeated administration of psychostimulants can lead to behavioral sensitization, a phenomenon observed in early stages of drug addiction. However, not all individuals show this sensitization. This study examined differences in neuronal activity in the dorsolateral striatum before and after administration of amphetamine and found that initial differences in burst firing could predict susceptibility to express locomotor sensitization. Additionally, differences in neurostructure were observed that could accompany sensitization. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying drug addiction.
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Natania A. Crane, Hanna Molla, Harriet de Wit
Summary: This study examined the impact of methamphetamine (MA) on neural response to receiving monetary rewards versus losses in healthy adults. The results showed that MA decreased brain activation during reward receipt, but had no effect on loss receipt.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Heather J. Pribut, Daniela Vazquez, Alice D. Wei, Stephen S. Tennyson, Ian R. Davis, Matthew R. Roesch, Xuan Li
Summary: This study found that overexpression of HDAC5 in the dorsal striatum of rats leads to faster response and more frequent selection of high-value rewards in the first set of trials, but less flexibility in reversing these contingencies in the second set. At the neural level, HDAC5 overexpression in the dorsal striatum increases and decreases the number of cells in the dorsolateral striatum that respond to stimuli and rewards, respectively, and shifts encoding towards cues predicting more immediate rewards.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amelie M. Borie, Sena Agezo, Parker Lunsford, Arjen J. Boender, Ji-Dong Guo, Hong Zhu, Gordon J. Berman, Larry J. Young, Robert C. Liu
Summary: This study examines the role of oxytocin in the nucleus accumbens during pair bonding in prairie voles. The researchers found that oxytocin's actions change with social experience, regulating the trajectory of social interactions and potentially promoting the maintenance of a pair bond by inhibiting aggressive responses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maxi Becker, Yuhua Yu, Roberto Cabeza
Summary: The affective component of insight can motivate future behavior, such as risky decision making. Insight activates reward-related brain areas, modulating decision making.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Anne K. Baker, Lauren C. Ericksen, Vincent Koppelmans, Brian J. Mickey, Katherine T. Martucci, Jon-Kar Zubieta, Tiffany M. Love
Summary: There is a reciprocal relationship between chronic pain and reward processing. This study found that males with chronic pain exhibited reduced anticipatory responses to reward in the striatum compared to control males, while no significant sex differences were observed among female patients. These findings highlight the importance of considering sex as a factor of interest in future studies on reward processing in the context of chronic pain.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Simona Raimo, Maria Cropano, Luigi Trojano, Gabriella Santangelo
Summary: The study identified structural changes in gambling disorder (GD) and specific brain activity patterns associated with decision-making and reward processing. Patients with GD showed cortical grey matter thinning in the right ventrolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and hyperactivation in the medial prefrontal cortex and right ventral striatum during decision-making and gain processing compared to healthy subjects. These findings suggest alterations in brain mechanisms related to top-down control and appraisal of gambling-related stimuli in GD.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sara R. Jones, Steve C. Fordahl
Summary: Binge-eating disorder disrupts dopamine neuron function by altering dopamine transporter activity. This study found that acute low-dose amphetamine can restore dopamine transporter function, but does not reduce dopamine release to normal levels caused by high-fat bingeing. This research suggests that presynaptic changes should be considered in the use of amphetamine-like dopamine releasers for treating BED.
Article
Neurosciences
Luis Manssuer, Ding Qiong, Liu Wei, Ruoqi Yang, Chencheng Zhang, Yijie Zhao, Bomin Sun, Shikun Zhan, Valerie Voon
Summary: By recording local field potentials from the amygdala, OFC, and hippocampus in epilepsy patients, researchers have identified specific electrophysiological activities and connectivity patterns during different stages of reward processing. These findings extend our understanding of reward and punishment related processes in the human brain.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
James F. Cavanagh, Sarah L. Olguin, Jo A. Talledo, Juliana E. Kotz, Benjamin Z. Roberts, John A. Nungaray, Joyce Sprock, David Gregg, Savita G. Bhakta, Gregory A. Light, Neal R. Swerdlow, Jared W. Young, Jonathan L. Brigman
Summary: The development of pro-cognitive therapeutics for psychiatric disorders has been hindered by translational failures. This study identifies a cross-species translational marker of reward processing and explores the impact of d-amphetamine on this marker in humans and mice. The findings suggest the role of dopamine in reward sensitivity and provide a pharmacologically valid biomarker for future research.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Lucrezia Liuzzi, Katharine K. Chang, Charles Zheng, Hanna Keren, Dipta Saha, Dylan M. Nielson, Argyris Stringaris
Summary: This study investigates whether the computationally modeled dynamics of self-reported mood during monetary gambling can be used to identify trial-by-trial variations in neuronal activity. The results show that beta-gamma power is positively related to reward expectation during mood shifts, with localized sources in the posterior cingulate cortex. Additionally, reward prediction error is found to predict trial-level variations in the response of the paracentral lobule.
Article
Neurosciences
Julianna Cavallaro, Jenna Yeisley, Basak Akdogan, Ronald E. E. Salazar, Joseph R. R. Floeder, Peter D. D. Balsam, Eduardo F. F. Gallo
Summary: This study investigates the effects of nucleus accumbens (NAc) dopamine and dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) on impulsive choice. The findings suggest that D2R upregulation in cholinergic interneurons (CINs) of the NAc increases impulsive choice, while the lack of D2Rs in CINs decreases impulsive choice. The study also finds that manipulations of CIN D2Rs do not affect probabilistic discounting.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marlene Cervantes, Robert G. Lewis, Maria Agnese Della-Fazia, Emiliana Borrelli, Paolo Sassone-Corsi
Summary: The circadian clock and metabolism are closely linked, relying on interactions between organ systems for proper timing. Substance use disrupts communication between organs and alters rhythmic activities. This study finds that alterations in dopamine signaling in the brain can affect circadian metabolism in peripheral organs. Drugs like cocaine that increase dopamine levels disrupt circadian metabolic profiles in the liver, especially when dopamine D2 receptors are lost.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Rebecca Martland, Scott Teasdale, Robin M. Murray, Poonam Gardner-Sood, Shubulade Smith, Khalida Ismail, Zerrin Atakan, Kathryn Greenwood, Brendon Stubbs, Fiona Gaughran
Summary: This study found that patients with psychosis have poor dietary quality, low physical activity levels, and spend significant time sitting. Negative symptoms were associated with lower levels of physical activity and increased sedentary behavior. These findings highlight the importance of multidisciplinary lifestyle interventions targeted at improving eating habits and promoting physical activity among individuals with psychosis.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Olesya Ajnakina, Robin Murray, Andrew Steptoe, Dorina Cadar
Summary: This study examines the relationship between polygenic predisposition to general cognition and the rate of cognitive decline during a 10-year follow-up period. The results show that an increase in polygenic scores for general cognition is associated with higher baseline verbal memory and semantic fluency scores. However, there is no association between polygenic predisposition and age-related cognitive decline.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Derek K. Tracy, Kara Hanson, Benjamin R. Underwood, Sukhwinder S. Shergill
Summary: This article provides detailed insights into the experiences of an early-adopting integrating service in south-east London, offering structured guidance on the types of integration, managing relationships, and evaluating progress.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jessica Mundy, Christopher Hubel, Brett N. N. Adey, Helena L. L. Davies, Molly R. R. Davies, Jonathan R. I. Coleman, Matthew Hotopf, Gursharan Kalsi, Sang Hyuck Lee, Andrew M. M. McIntosh, Henry C. C. Rogers, Thalia C. C. Eley, Robin M. M. Murray, Evangelos Vassos, Gerome Breen
Summary: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is commonly used for screening bipolar disorder but its validity for genetic studies has not been fully examined. A study compared the MDQ to self-reported bipolar disorder and conducted genome-wide association studies to investigate genetic correlations with bipolar disorder and other traits. The MDQ showed low positive predictive value for self-reported bipolar disorder and no genetic correlations with bipolar disorder were found. The study also suggested that the MDQ may capture symptoms of general distress or psychopathology instead of specifically targeting hypomania/mania in at-risk populations.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART B-NEUROPSYCHIATRIC GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dominic B. Dwyer, Ganesh B. Chand, Alessandro Pigoni, Adyasha Khuntia, Junhao Wen, Mathilde Antoniades, Gyujoon Hwang, Guray Erus, Jimit Doshi, Dhivya Srinivasan, Erdem Varol, Rene S. Kahn, Hugo G. Schnack, Eva Meisenzahl, Stephen J. Wood, Chuanjun Zhuo, Aristeidis Sotiras, Russell T. Shinohara, Haochang Shou, Yong Fan, Maristela Schaulfelberger, Pedro Rosa, Paris A. Lalousis, Rachel Upthegrove, Antonia N. Kaczkurkin, Tyler M. Moore, Barnaby Nelson, Raquel E. Gur, Ruben C. Gur, Marylyn D. Ritchie, Theodore D. Satterthwaite, Robin M. Murray, Marta Di Forti, Simone Ciufolini, Marcus V. Zanetti, Daniel H. Wolf, Christos Pantelis, Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, Geraldo F. Busatto, Christos Davatzikos, Nikolaos Koutsouleris, Paola Dazzan
Summary: Using machine learning, researchers found that schizophrenia can be decomposed into two volumetric subgroups with distinct neuroanatomical characteristics: a 'lower brain volume' subgroup and a 'higher striatal volume' subgroup. These subgroups were already present at the first episode of psychosis and were associated with different clinical presentations and remission outcomes. The findings suggest that these subgroups may be important in understanding the underlying mechanisms of schizophrenia and could be targeted in future treatment trials.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Alameda, Zhonghua Liu, Pak C. Sham, Monica Aas, Giulia Trotta, Victoria Rodriguez, Marta Di Forti, Simona A. Stilo, Radhika Kandaswamy, Celso Arango, Manuel Arrojo, Miguel Bernardo, Julio Bobes, Lieuwe de Haan, Cristina Marta Del-Ben, Charlotte Gayer-Anderson, Lucia Sideli, Peter B. Jones, Hannah E. Jongsma, James B. Kirkbride, Caterina La Cascia, Antonio Lasalvia, Sarah Tosato, Pierre-Michel Llorca, Paulo Rossi Menezes, Jim van Os, Diego Quattrone, Bart P. Rutten, Jose Luis Santos, Julio Sanjuan, Jean-Paul Selten, Andrei Szoke, Ilaria Tarricone, Andrea Tortelli, Eva Velthorst, Craig Morgan, Emma Dempster, Eilis Hannon, Joe Burrage, Daniella Dwir, Atheeshaan Arumuham, Jonathan Mill, Robin M. Murray, Chloe C. Y. Wong
Summary: Studies have found that DNA methylation is sensitive to childhood adversity in psychotic disorders, but it is unclear whether it mediates the association between childhood adversity and psychosis. This study found that childhood adversity was associated with psychosis, but no specific CpG sites were found to mediate the association. However, there were differentially methylated probes associated with genes previously linked to psychosis.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andre Zugman, Luz Maria Alliende, Vicente Medel, Richard A. I. Bethlehem, Jakob Seidlitz, Grace Ringlein, Celso Arango, Aurina Arnatkeviciute, Laila Asmal, Mark Bellgrove, Vivek Benegal, Miquel Bernardo, Pablo Billeke, Jorge Bosch-Bayard, Rodrigo Bressan, Geraldo F. Busatto, Mariana N. Castro, Tiffany Chaim-Avancini, Albert Compte, Monise Costanzi, Leticia Czepielewski, Paola Dazzan, Camilo de la Fuente-Sandoval, Marta Di Forti, Covadonga M. Diaz-Caneja, Ana Maria Diaz-Zuluaga, Stefan Du Plessis, Fabio L. S. Duran, Sol Fittipaldi, Alex Fornito, Nelson B. Freimer, Ary Gadelha, Clarissa S. Gama, Ranjini Garani, Clemente Garcia-Rizo, Cecilia Gonzalez Campo, Alfonso Gonzalez-Valderrama, Salvador Guinjoan, Bharath Holla, Agustin Ibanez, Daniza Ivanovic, Andrea Jackowski, Pablo Leon-Ortiz, Christine Lochner, Carlos Lopez-Jaramillo, Hilmar Luckhoff, Raffael Massuda, Philip McGuire, Jun Miyataaaa, Romina Mizrahi, Robin Murray, Aysegul Ozerdem, Pedro M. Pan, Mara Parellada, Lebogan Phahladira, Juan P. Ramirez-Mahalu, Ramiro Reckziegel, Tiago Reis Marques, Francisco Reyes-Madrigal, Annerine Roos, Pedro Rosa, Giovanni Salum, Freda Scheffler, Gunter Schumann, Mauricio Serpa, Dan J. Stein, Angeles Tepper, Jeggan Tiego, Tsukasa Ueno, Juan Undurraga, Eduardo A. Undurrag, Pedro Valdes-Sosaooo, Isabel Valliy, Mirta Villarrealu, Toby T. Winton-Brownrrr, Nefize Yalin, Francisco Zamorano, Marcus V. Zanetti, Anderson M. Winkler, Daniel S. Pine, Sara Evans-Lacko, Nicolas A. Crossley
Summary: Gender inequality has been linked to higher mental health risks and lower academic achievement for women globally. Differences in brain structure between men and women may be partially explained by unequal exposure to harsher conditions in gender-unequal countries, leading to worse outcomes for women. A meta-analysis of MRI scans from 139 samples across 29 countries revealed that women in gender-equal countries had no differences or even thicker cortical regions, while those in countries with greater gender inequality had thinner cortices. These findings highlight the potential negative impact of gender inequality on women's brains and the need for policies based on neuroscience for gender equality.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Edoardo Spinazzola, Diego Quattrone, Victoria Rodriguez, Giulia Trotta, Luis Alameda, Giada Tripoli, Charlotte Gayer-Anderson, Tom P. Freeman, Emma C. Johnson, Hannah E. Jongsma, Simona Stilo, Caterina La Cascia, Laura Ferraro, Daniele La Barbera, Antonio Lasalvia, Sarah Tosato, Ilaria Tarricone, Giuseppe D'Andrea, Michela Galatolo, Andrea Tortelli, Ilaria Tagliabue, Marco Turco, Maurizio Pompili, Jean-Paul Selten, Lieuwe de Haan, Paulo Rossi Menezes, Cristina M. Del Ben, Jose Luis Santos, Manuel Arrojo, Julio Bobes, Julio Sanjuan, Miguel Bernardo, Celso Arango, James B. Kirkbride, Peter B. Jones, Michael O'Donovan, Bart P. Rutten, Jim Van Os, Craig Morgan, Pak C. Sham, Isabelle Austin-Zimmerman, Zhikun Li, Evangelos Vassos, Robin M. Murray, Marta Di Forti
Summary: This study found an association between reasons for first using cannabis and patterns of use and risk of psychosis. Most patients started using cannabis because of friends, but a higher proportion of patients compared to controls reported using cannabis to feel better.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Giulia Trotta, Victoria Rodriguez, Diego Quattrone, Edoardo Spinazzola, Giada Tripoli, Charlotte Gayer-Anderson, Tom P. Freeman, Hannah E. Jongsma, Lucia Sideli, Monica Aas, Simona A. Stilo, Caterina La Cascia, Laura Ferraro, Daniele La Barbera, Antonio Lasalvia, Sarah Tosato, Ilaria Tarricone, Giuseppe D'Andrea, Andrea Tortelli, Franck Schuerhoff, Andrei Szoeke, Baptiste Pignon, Jean-Paul Selten, Eva Velthorst, Lieuwe de Haan, Pierre-Michel Llorca, Paulo Rossi Menezes, Cristina M. Del Ben, Jose Luis Santos, Manuel Arrojo, Julio Bobes, Julio Sanjuan, Miquel Bernardo, Celso Arango, James B. Kirkbride, Peter B. Jones, Alexander Richards, Bart P. Rutten, Jim Van Os, Isabelle Austin-Zimmerman, Zhikun Li, Craig Morgan, Pak C. Sham, Evangelos Vassos, Chloe Wong, Richard Bentall, Helen L. Fisher, Robin M. Murray, Luis Alameda, Marta Di Forti
Summary: This study aims to explore the relationship between childhood adversity and psychosis, and whether cannabis use acts as a mediator between adversity and psychotic disorders. Data from 881 first-episode psychosis patients and 1231 controls were analyzed, and it was found that the association between household discord and psychosis was partially mediated by the use of cannabis. Children exposed to challenging environments could benefit from psychosocial interventions aimed at preventing cannabis misuse.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Edward Millgate, Sophie E. Smart, Antonio F. Pardinas, Eugenia Kravariti, Olesya Ajnakina, Adrianna P. Kapinska, Ole A. Andreassen, Thomas R. E. Barnes, Domenico Berardi, Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, Giuseppe D'Andre, Arsime Demjaha, Marta Di Forti, Gillian A. Doody, Laura Kassoumeri, Aziz Ferchiou, Lorenzo Guidi, Eileen M. Joyce, Ornella Lastrina, Ingrid Melle, Baptiste Pignon, Jean-Romain Richard, Carmen Simonsen, Andrei Szoke, Ilaria Tarricone, Andrea Tortelli, Javier Vazquez-Bourgon, Robin M. Murray, James T. R. Walters, James H. MacCabe
Summary: This study aimed to determine whether cognitive impairment at first episode significantly differs between future antipsychotic responders and resistant cases. The findings showed that patients who were future classified as treatment resistant reported poorer performance across most cognitive domains at baseline. These results indicate that deficits in IQ/general cognitive functioning at first episode are associated with future treatment resistance.
SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Dominic Oliver, Amir Englund, Edward Chesney, Lucy Chester, Jack Wilson, Simina Sovi, Stina Wigroth, John Hodsoll, John Strang, Robin M. Murray, Tom P. Freeman, Paolo Fusar-Poli, Philip McGuire
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) on attentional bias and explicit liking. The results showed that inhaled THC increased attentional bias towards cannabis, while CBD had no influence on this effect.
Article
Psychiatry
Rebecca Pollard, Helen L. Fisher, Paul Fearon, Kevin Morgan, Julia Lappin, Gerard Hutchinson, Gillian A. Doody, Peter B. Jones, Robin M. Murray, Craig Morgan, Paola Dazzan
Summary: A study found that parenting styles with high control and low caring were associated with mental disorders including schizophrenia. However, the study also showed that a more caring and less controlling parenting style from fathers was associated with better functioning at follow-up in individuals with schizophrenia. Surprisingly, uncaring and controlling parenting styles were not associated with a notably worse course of illness or symptom severity over the follow-up period.
ARCHIVES OF WOMENS MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Sagnik Bhattacharyya, Tabea Schoeler, Marta Di Forti, Robin Murray, Alexis E. Cullen, Marco Colizzi
Summary: This study aimed to examine the association between exposure to stressful life events after initial psychosis onset and psychosis relapse. The study found that individuals exposed to stressful life events after psychosis onset had a higher risk of relapse compared to those unexposed, and the risk of relapse was positively correlated with the number of stressful life events. These results suggest the need for interventions at the individual and health-service level to mitigate the harmful effects of stressful life events on psychosis relapse.
Article
Psychiatry
Derek K. Tracy, Frank Holloway, Kara Hanson, Adrian James, Geraldine Strathdee, Dez Holmes, Sridevi Kalidindi, Sukhwinder S. Shergill
Summary: Demands for health and social care are increasing, but resources and staffing are not keeping up. The NHS Long Term Plan in England aims to deliver services differently through integrated care systems, connecting commissioners, providers, and health and social care. This article focuses on the changing demographics and the necessary workforce and financial resources to address them. It emphasizes the importance of clinicians getting involved in the changes.
Article
Psychiatry
Derek K. K. Tracy, Frank Holloway, Kara Hanson, Nikita Kanani, Matthew Trainer, Iain Dimond, Adrian James, Sridevi Kalidindi, Sukhwinder S. S. Shergill
Summary: Part 1 discussed the drivers for change in healthcare delivery in England as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. Part 2 explores the evolution of mental health services within the NHS and relevant legislation and policy leading up to the 2019 Long Term Plan. The implications of this, including emerging structures such as ICSs and PCNs, and challenges facing these systems are explained. Part 3 will focus on the practical local implementation of integrated care.