"Altered Brain Systems in Depression: Natural vs. Monetary Rewards"

A study published in Psychological Medicine reveals distinct neural alterations in patients with depression during processing of monetary and natural rewards, indicating that reward dysfunctions in depression differ depending on the type of reward. While patients exhibited decreased activation in certain brain regions during receipt of all reward types, separable alterations were observed during monetary and natural rewards in specific parts of the striatum. The findings suggest the need for reward-type specific interventions and challenge previous assumptions about reward dysfunctions in depression. However, the study also highlights the impact of anti-depressive medication on brain alterations, calling for further research in this area.