Examining Reward Reactivity Using EEG Between Mother-Child Dyads With and Without a History of Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a growing public health concern, with childhood-onset cases often following severe, chronic courses. Children of depressed mothers [high-risk (HR) youth] are 3-4 times more likely to develop MDD than children of never depressed mothers [low-risk (LR) youth]. One suspected mechanism for this intergenerational transmission is atypical reward processing. Neural responses to reward can be measured via electroencephalogram (EEG); the reward processing pathway is often measured in the time-domain through an event-related potential (ERP) known as the Reward Positivity (RewP). While RewP is an established risk marker of depression in older children and adults, its presence in early childhood remains under-investigated. Further, frequency-domain analyses may offer more sensitivity than traditional time-domain measures. This study evaluated 110 mother-child dyads (52 HR, 58 LR) with children 5-6 years old. We aimed to determine 1) whether blunted neural reward responsiveness in EEG time- and frequency-domains distinguishes HR, versus, LR dyads; 2) whether neural reward responsiveness in EEG time- and frequency-domains are related among mother-child dyads; and 3) whether neural reward responsiveness in EEG time- and frequency- domains predicts increases in depressive profiles at a six-month follow-up. Results showed no significant differences between HR and LR groups regarding maternal depression history and EEG measures in children. Furthermore, mother-child neural responses were not significantly correlated. However, in mothers with a history of MDD, blunted win responses (in both time- and frequency-domains) predicted increased depressive symptoms at the six-month follow-up. In HR offspring, hypersensitive theta responses to loss predicted increased depressive symptoms at six months. These findings suggest that early childhood may be too early to detect reward system maladaptation in HR offspring, or alternate factors may play a more dominant role in shaping these neural processes during early childhood. Nevertheless, the predictive value of baseline neural activity, specifically response to wins in mothers and response to loss in children, underscores the importance of early identification. Interventions focusing on enhancing reward functioning in mothers and reducing loss hypersensitivity in children may be effective in mitigating future depressive symptoms in high-risk families.

Author dc:creator

• Michelle K. Sheena (24399401)

• Human

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.32993831.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32993831