Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression
We provide a proof of principle for an evolutionary systems theory (EST) of depression. This theory suggests that normative depressive symptoms counter socioenvironmental volatility by increasing interpersonal support via social signalling and that this response depends upon the encoding of uncertai...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Computational Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/70 |
| _version_ | 1798031957274132480 |
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| author | Axel Constant Casper Hesp Christopher G. Davey Karl J. Friston Paul B. Badcock |
| author_facet | Axel Constant Casper Hesp Christopher G. Davey Karl J. Friston Paul B. Badcock |
| author_sort | Axel Constant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We provide a proof of principle for an evolutionary systems theory (EST) of depression. This theory suggests that normative depressive symptoms counter socioenvironmental volatility by increasing interpersonal support via social signalling and that this response depends upon the encoding of uncertainty about social contingencies, which can be targeted by neuromodulatory antidepressants. We simulated agents that committed to a series of decisions in a social two-arm bandit task before and after social adversity, which precipitated depressive symptoms. Responses to social adversity were modelled under various combinations of social support and pharmacotherapy. The normative depressive phenotype responded positively to social support and simulated treatments with antidepressants. Attracting social support and administering antidepressants also alleviated anhedonia and social withdrawal, speaking to improvements in interpersonal relationships. These results support the EST of depression by demonstrating that following adversity, normative depressed mood preserved social inclusion with appropriate interpersonal support or pharmacotherapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:06:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a637c7eb784d4c328c130404f68ee9aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2379-6227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:06:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Computational Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-a637c7eb784d4c328c130404f68ee9aa2022-12-22T04:05:20ZengUbiquity PressComputational Psychiatry2379-62272021-06-015110.5334/cpsy.7058Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of DepressionAxel Constant0Casper Hesp1Christopher G. Davey2Karl J. Friston3Paul B. Badcock4Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, AU; Culture, Mind, and Brain Program, McGill University, CA; Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College LondonWellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, UK; Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center, University of Amsterdam; Institute for Advanced Study, University of AmsterdamCentre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne; Department of Psychiatry, The University of MelbourneWellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College LondonCentre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne; OrygenWe provide a proof of principle for an evolutionary systems theory (EST) of depression. This theory suggests that normative depressive symptoms counter socioenvironmental volatility by increasing interpersonal support via social signalling and that this response depends upon the encoding of uncertainty about social contingencies, which can be targeted by neuromodulatory antidepressants. We simulated agents that committed to a series of decisions in a social two-arm bandit task before and after social adversity, which precipitated depressive symptoms. Responses to social adversity were modelled under various combinations of social support and pharmacotherapy. The normative depressive phenotype responded positively to social support and simulated treatments with antidepressants. Attracting social support and administering antidepressants also alleviated anhedonia and social withdrawal, speaking to improvements in interpersonal relationships. These results support the EST of depression by demonstrating that following adversity, normative depressed mood preserved social inclusion with appropriate interpersonal support or pharmacotherapy.https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/70depressionanhedoniasocial withdrawalactive inferenceadaptive priorcomputational phenotypingevolutionary systems theorysimulation studysocial risk hypothesistwo-arm bandit |
| spellingShingle | Axel Constant Casper Hesp Christopher G. Davey Karl J. Friston Paul B. Badcock Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression Computational Psychiatry depression anhedonia social withdrawal active inference adaptive prior computational phenotyping evolutionary systems theory simulation study social risk hypothesis two-arm bandit |
| title | Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression |
| title_full | Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression |
| title_fullStr | Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression |
| title_short | Why Depressed Mood is Adaptive: A Numerical Proof of Principle for an Evolutionary Systems Theory of Depression |
| title_sort | why depressed mood is adaptive a numerical proof of principle for an evolutionary systems theory of depression |
| topic | depression anhedonia social withdrawal active inference adaptive prior computational phenotyping evolutionary systems theory simulation study social risk hypothesis two-arm bandit |
| url | https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/70 |
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