TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived chronic stress and impulsivity are associated with reduced learning about the costs and benefits of actions
AU - Voulgaropoulou, Stella D.
AU - Vingerhoets, Claudia
AU - Brat-Matchett, Katya
AU - Amelsvoort, Thérèse van
AU - Hernaus, Dennis
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by Gorilla Grant (year: 2019) awarded to S.V.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/8/1
Y1 - 2023/8/1
N2 - Many psychiatric conditions have been linked with deficits in cost-benefit reinforcement learning. However, previous results have been mixed, partly due to significant symptom heterogeneity within distinct psychiatric conditions and symptom overlap between them, making it difficult to disentangle whether alterations in cost-benefit reinforcement learning are condition- or symptom-specific. Here, we investigate whether transdiagnostic (sub-)clinical symptoms and risk factors for psychopathology are associated with reinforcement learning and cost-benefit integration. For this reason, we use an online cost-benefit reinforcement learning task in combination with self-rated measures of common transdiagnostic factors (perceived chronic stress, anhedonia, impulsivity, energy/fatigue) in 360 subjects (18–46 years old) with(out) a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition. Increased chronic stress and impulsivity were associated with poorer reinforcement learning, independent of whether participants were learning to minimize costs (physical effort) or maximize benefits (monetary rewards). These associations were selectively driven by a reduction in learning from positive and negative reinforcement, not punishment. The use of mobile phone (compared to laptop/PC) was also associated with lower performance accuracy. Data and scripts are available (https://osf.io/w3mvq/). Our work emphasizes the importance of chronic stress and impulsivity as potential drivers of altered motivation and goal-directed behavior beyond diagnostic labels, in addition to methodological challenges associated with data collection via online platforms.
AB - Many psychiatric conditions have been linked with deficits in cost-benefit reinforcement learning. However, previous results have been mixed, partly due to significant symptom heterogeneity within distinct psychiatric conditions and symptom overlap between them, making it difficult to disentangle whether alterations in cost-benefit reinforcement learning are condition- or symptom-specific. Here, we investigate whether transdiagnostic (sub-)clinical symptoms and risk factors for psychopathology are associated with reinforcement learning and cost-benefit integration. For this reason, we use an online cost-benefit reinforcement learning task in combination with self-rated measures of common transdiagnostic factors (perceived chronic stress, anhedonia, impulsivity, energy/fatigue) in 360 subjects (18–46 years old) with(out) a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition. Increased chronic stress and impulsivity were associated with poorer reinforcement learning, independent of whether participants were learning to minimize costs (physical effort) or maximize benefits (monetary rewards). These associations were selectively driven by a reduction in learning from positive and negative reinforcement, not punishment. The use of mobile phone (compared to laptop/PC) was also associated with lower performance accuracy. Data and scripts are available (https://osf.io/w3mvq/). Our work emphasizes the importance of chronic stress and impulsivity as potential drivers of altered motivation and goal-directed behavior beyond diagnostic labels, in addition to methodological challenges associated with data collection via online platforms.
KW - Chronic stress
KW - Cost-benefit
KW - Impulsivity
KW - Reinforcement learning
KW - Transdiagnostic factors
U2 - 10.1016/j.lmot.2023.101896
DO - 10.1016/j.lmot.2023.101896
M3 - Article
SN - 0023-9690
VL - 83
JO - Learning and Motivation
JF - Learning and Motivation
IS - 1
M1 - 101896
ER -