Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study
Background: Behavioral activation is an evidence-based treatment for depression. Theoretical considerations suggest that treatment response depends on reinforcement learning mechanisms. However, which reinforcement learning mechanisms are engaged by and mediate the therapeutic effect of behavioral a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Computational Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/81 |
| _version_ | 1811180116016889856 |
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| author | Quentin J. M. Huys Evan M. Russek George Abitante Thorsten Kahnt Jacqueline K. Gollan |
| author_facet | Quentin J. M. Huys Evan M. Russek George Abitante Thorsten Kahnt Jacqueline K. Gollan |
| author_sort | Quentin J. M. Huys |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Behavioral activation is an evidence-based treatment for depression. Theoretical considerations suggest that treatment response depends on reinforcement learning mechanisms. However, which reinforcement learning mechanisms are engaged by and mediate the therapeutic effect of behavioral activation remains only partially understood, and there are no procedures to measure such mechanisms. Objective: To perform a pilot study to examine whether reinforcement learning processes measured through tasks or self-report are related to treatment response to behavioral activation. Method: The pilot study enrolled 13 outpatients (12 completers) with major depressive disorder, from July of 2018 through February of 2019, into a nine-week trial with BA. Psychiatric evaluations, decision-making tests and self-reported reward experience and anticipations were acquired before, during and after the treatment. Task and self-report data were analysed by using reinforcement-learning models. Inferred parameters were related to measures of depression severity through linear mixed effects models. Results: Treatment effects during different phases of the therapy were captured by specific decision-making processes in the task. During the weeks focusing on the active pursuit of reward, treatment effects were more pronounced amongst those individuals who showed an increase in Pavlovian appetitive influence. During the weeks focusing on the avoidance of punishments, treatment responses were more pronounced in those individuals who showed an increase in Pavlovian avoidance. Self-reported anticipation of reinforcement changed according to formal RL rules. Individual differences in the extent to which learning followed RL rules related to changes in anhedonia. Conclusions: In this pilot study both task- and self-report-derived measures of reinforcement learning captured individual differences in treatment response to behavioral activation. Appetitive and aversive Pavlovian reflexive processes appeared to be modulated by separate psychotherapeutic interventions, and the modulation strength covaried with response to specific interventions. Self-reported changes in reinforcement expectations are also related to treatment response. Trial Registry Name: Set Your Goal: Engaging in GO/No-Go Active Learning, #NCT03538535, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:44:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c420f1b37c9a4a349d9b0a2a68c30c5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2379-6227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:44:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Computational Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-c420f1b37c9a4a349d9b0a2a68c30c5e2022-12-22T04:39:22ZengUbiquity PressComputational Psychiatry2379-62272022-10-016110.5334/cpsy.8176Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot StudyQuentin J. M. Huys0Evan M. Russek1George Abitante2Thorsten Kahnt3Jacqueline K. Gollan4Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research and Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London; Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, LondonMax Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research and Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, LondonDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, ILNational Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, ILDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, ILBackground: Behavioral activation is an evidence-based treatment for depression. Theoretical considerations suggest that treatment response depends on reinforcement learning mechanisms. However, which reinforcement learning mechanisms are engaged by and mediate the therapeutic effect of behavioral activation remains only partially understood, and there are no procedures to measure such mechanisms. Objective: To perform a pilot study to examine whether reinforcement learning processes measured through tasks or self-report are related to treatment response to behavioral activation. Method: The pilot study enrolled 13 outpatients (12 completers) with major depressive disorder, from July of 2018 through February of 2019, into a nine-week trial with BA. Psychiatric evaluations, decision-making tests and self-reported reward experience and anticipations were acquired before, during and after the treatment. Task and self-report data were analysed by using reinforcement-learning models. Inferred parameters were related to measures of depression severity through linear mixed effects models. Results: Treatment effects during different phases of the therapy were captured by specific decision-making processes in the task. During the weeks focusing on the active pursuit of reward, treatment effects were more pronounced amongst those individuals who showed an increase in Pavlovian appetitive influence. During the weeks focusing on the avoidance of punishments, treatment responses were more pronounced in those individuals who showed an increase in Pavlovian avoidance. Self-reported anticipation of reinforcement changed according to formal RL rules. Individual differences in the extent to which learning followed RL rules related to changes in anhedonia. Conclusions: In this pilot study both task- and self-report-derived measures of reinforcement learning captured individual differences in treatment response to behavioral activation. Appetitive and aversive Pavlovian reflexive processes appeared to be modulated by separate psychotherapeutic interventions, and the modulation strength covaried with response to specific interventions. Self-reported changes in reinforcement expectations are also related to treatment response. Trial Registry Name: Set Your Goal: Engaging in GO/No-Go Active Learning, #NCT03538535, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/81decision-makinglearningpavlovian reflexesinstrumental learningorthogonalized go/no learningbehavioral activation treatmentreward learning |
| spellingShingle | Quentin J. M. Huys Evan M. Russek George Abitante Thorsten Kahnt Jacqueline K. Gollan Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study Computational Psychiatry decision-making learning pavlovian reflexes instrumental learning orthogonalized go/no learning behavioral activation treatment reward learning |
| title | Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study |
| title_full | Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study |
| title_short | Components of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Engage Specific Reinforcement Learning Mechanisms in a Pilot Study |
| title_sort | components of behavioral activation therapy for depression engage specific reinforcement learning mechanisms in a pilot study |
| topic | decision-making learning pavlovian reflexes instrumental learning orthogonalized go/no learning behavioral activation treatment reward learning |
| url | https://cpsyjournal.org/articles/81 |
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