The study showed that, through electroencephalography (EEG) scans, reduced electrical activity in the brain can be an early warning sign of depression in high-risk adolescents. This finding could help doctors and therapists identify young people who need early intervention, potentially preventing the development of severe depression.
Adolescence is a crucial time in life when many young people are more likely to develop mood and anxiety problems. Almost half of these disorders are diagnosed before the age of 18.
When a teenager experiences an episode of anxiety or depression, the effects can be long-lasting, affecting their social relationships, school performance and even their self-esteem.
These disorders are closely linked, and research shows that anxiety, depression and suicide are often linked. Therefore, finding ways to identify these problems early is very important to prevent future complications.
A promising area of research is the study of biomarkers, biological signals that help predict the occurrence of diseases. In the case of depression and anxiety, scientists are interested in understanding how the brain processes rewards.
This is because people with depression have different brain responses to rewarding experiences, such as winning a game or receiving praise.
Studies show that people with depression have less activation in an area of the brain called the striatum, which is involved in processing rewards.
They also have difficulty learning from positive experiences, experiencing pleasure, and adjusting their expectations based on previous outcomes.
In this study, researchers from the University of Calgary, Canada, focused on how adolescent brains respond to rewards, as they believe it could help identify those at risk of developing depression or anxiety.
Adolescence is a time when the brain is particularly sensitive to rewards, which can make young people more vulnerable to mood problems, especially if they already have an altered brain response to these experiences.
Adolescents with a family history of depression often show a weaker brain response to rewards, which may indicate an increased risk of developing mood disorders.
Scientists use a technique called electroencephalography (EEG) to measure electrical activity in the brain. One specific type of signal measured is the “Reward Event-Related Potential” (RewP).
This signal reflects how the brain responds to positive events and is a way to study the response of the reward system. Previous research has shown that adolescents with a low RewP are more likely to develop depression.
This pattern of brain responses appears to be a reliable indicator of risk, even when other factors, such as a family history of depression, are taken into account.
The study in question looked at adolescents aged 11 to 17, all of whom had at least one parent with a history of mood or anxiety disorders. The researchers measured the RewP of these adolescents and tracked their mental health status over the course of 18 months.
Those with a lower RewP were found to be more likely to develop depression, while RewP was not a good predictor of the onset of anxiety disorders or suicidal thoughts.
This suggests that RewP may be a specific marker for depression risk in adolescents who are already predisposed due to family history.
This figure shows how the brain responds to rewards in two groups of participants: those who did not develop depression (A, no MDD) and those who had their first episode of major depressive disorder (B, MDD) during follow-up. The lines in the graphs represent brain responses to gains and losses, measured by an event-related potential (ERP) test in the brain region called FCz. The difference in response to gains and losses is called “reward positivity” (RewP), and is analyzed over a specific time window (250 to 350 milliseconds after the stimulus). The images show how these responses are distributed across the scalp, and a final heat map visualizes how individual responses change over time, highlighting differences between the groups.
On the other hand, the relationship between anxiety, suicide and RewP is less clear, with some studies showing mixed results. Therefore, more research is needed to fully understand these links.
In conclusion, the study showed that a reduced RewP may be an early warning sign for depression in high-risk adolescents. This finding may help clinicians and therapists identify young people who need early intervention, potentially preventing the development of severe depression.
Using RewP as a screening tool, along with observation of symptoms reported by adolescents themselves, may significantly improve prevention and treatment strategies.
READ MORE:
The Reward Positivity As a Predictor of First-Lifetime Onsets of Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Ideation in High-Risk Adolescents
Gia-Huy L. Hoang, Kent G. Hecker, Connor Maxey, Ford Burles, Olave E. Krigolson, Daniel C. Kopala-Sibley
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Available online 9 November 2024
Abstract:
Reduced reward positivity (RewP), an electroencephalography marker elicited by feedback indicating reward, has been associated with an increased risk for depression during adolescence. However, the ability of the RewP to predict the first-lifetime onset of depressive disorders, as opposed to anxiety and suicidal ideation in high-risk populations, has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we examined whether the RewP predicts the first-lifetime onset of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation over 18 months in familial high-risk adolescents. The sample included 145 adolescents (64.8% female), ages 11 to 17 years, who had at least 1 parent with a history of mood or anxiety disorders and completed baseline and at least 1 follow-up measurement. At baseline, the RewP was measured using a simple gambling task; current internalizing symptoms were assessed using self-report questionnaires; and the adolescent’s psychiatric diagnoses were evaluated with diagnostic interviews. The same interview was administered to the adolescents again 9 months and 18 months later. Logistic regression models showed that higher RewP scores significantly predicted a lower likelihood of developing a first onset of major depressive disorder over 18 months, even after controlling for sex, age, and baseline internalizing symptoms. In contrast, the RewP did not significantly predict the first onset of anxiety disorders or suicidal ideation. A reduced RewP precedes the first onset of depression in high-risk adolescents, highlighting the RewP’s predictive capability for depression risk in predisposed populations. A blunted RewP could complement self-reported symptoms in screening and prevention.
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