title: The neural transfer effect of working memory training to enhance hedonic processing in individuals with social anhedonia.
abstract: Anhedonia, the diminished ability to experience pleasure, is a challenging negative symptom in patients with schizophrenia and can be observed in at-risk individuals with schizotypy. Deficits in hedonic processing have been postulated to be related to decreased motivation to engage in potentially rewarding events. It remains unclear whether non-pharmacological interventions, such as cognitive training, could improve anhedonia. The present study aimed to examine the neural mechanism for alleviating hedonic deficits with working memory (WM) training in individuals with social anhedonia. Fifteen individuals with social anhedonia were recruited and received 20 sessions of training on a dual n-back task, five sessions a week. Functional imaging paradigms of the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) and the Affective Incentive Delay (AID) tasks were administered both before and after the training to evaluate the neural transfer effects on hedonic processing ability. Enhanced brain activations related to anticipation were observed at the anterior cingulate cortex, the left dorsal striatum and the left precuneus with the AID task, and at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the supramarginal gyrus with the MID task. The present findings support that WM training may improve monetary-based and affective-based hedonic processing in individuals with social anhedonia.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.|Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior(CCNU), Ministry of Education, School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: MRI Center, Hospital 306, 100101, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: MRI Center, Hospital 306, 100101, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.|North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Song
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Lan
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Zhuo-Ya
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.|Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China.
authors.forename: Simon S Y
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China.
authors.forename: Eric F C
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy &Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Alberta, T6G 2G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Ada W S
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, 100101, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Raymond C K
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D059445:Anhedonia; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007858:Learning; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students