title: Blunted cardiovascular reactivity during social reward anticipation in subclinical depression.
abstract: The present study extends past research about reduced reward responsiveness in depression by assessing effort-related cardiovascular responses during anticipation of a social reward. Dysphoric (i.e., subclinically depressed) and nondysphoric participants worked on a cognitive task. Half the participants in each group expected the possibility to subscribe to a social exchange internet site. Effort mobilization during task performance was assessed by participants' cardiovascular reactivity. Confirming the predictions, nondysphoric participants in the social-reward condition had higher reactivity of pre-ejection period, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate, compared to the other three cells. In contrast, dysphoric participants' cardiovascular reactivity was generally low. These findings indicate that social-reward function is indeed impaired in subclinical depression. Implications for social punishment are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: kerstin.brinkmann@unige.ch.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brinkmann
authors.affiliation: University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franzen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D002307:Cardiography, Impedance; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012201:Reward; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cardiovascular reactivity; Depression; Dysphoria; Effort mobilization; Reward anticipation; Social reward