CHAPEL HILL, NC 鈥� Anhedonia, the inability to anticipate or experience pleasure, can emerge during adolescence and often precedes the onset of more severe psychopathology such as mood disorders and psychosis. The condition is difficult to treat, but 黑料网 Psychiatry researchers hope that by examining the physiological and neural response mechanisms associated with acute stress preceding anhedonia, they can inform the development of prevention and treatment options.
Atypical stress response and related dysregulation of neurobiological mechanisms have been proposed as key contributors to this mental health symptom. The Stress Trajectories and Anhedonia in Adolescents Research Study (STAARS), a five-year project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, will examine the biological stress response patterns that place adolescents at risk for the onset and worsening of the condition.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just one biologic system that is engaged to mount a stress response, but rather a complex co-activation of physiological, neural, and endocrine systems,鈥� says co-principal investigator Danielle Roubinov, PhD, director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program. 鈥淟ooking comprehensively across these systems will give us a clearer picture of why some people develop anhedonia, why some experience increases of it over time, or why some will go on to develop other mental health problems.鈥�
The research team will recruit 200 adolescents aged 13-15 who experience varying levels of anhedonia. Over two years, participants will be monitored through multi-method and multi-modal assessments that include questionnaires, brain imaging, and physiological stress responses.
鈥淭his symptom is very common across disorders, especially in depression and schizophrenia,鈥� says co-principal investigator Aysenil Belger, PhD, director of Neuroimaging Research in Psychiatry and the Clinical Translational Core at the 黑料网 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center. 鈥淢any of our subjects are going to be too young yet to have a firm diagnosis of a mental health disorder but may have symptoms that worsen to become a significant disorder later on.鈥�
The goal of this innovative, longitudinal study is to understand the biological and individual differences among adolescents with and without anhedonia so that better prevention and intervention programs can be developed.
鈥淲e can identify over time with repeated measures, worsening symptoms that transition to depression and suicidality, then fine-tune early identifiers for those at greater risk,鈥� Belger says. 鈥淔inding interventions is one of the more immediate implications, as we can look at trajectories, and identify solutions that may best target those outcomes.鈥�
As co-investigators, Belger and Roubinov鈥檚 research strengths complement each other.
Belger, who previously directed the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG), focuses on understanding neurobiological systems, functions, and mechanisms that may represent risks of vulnerability and contribute to the development of psychopathology in young people. She integrates multimodal methodologies such as brain imaging, electrophysiological recordings, and cognitive behavioral assessments.
Roubinov conducts studies around stress response in young children that predict clinical outcomes. She aims to understand how early experiences of stress and trauma shape children鈥檚 development and well-being, and the factors that can help promote positive adjustment even in the context of adversity.
They invite potential collaborators to join their team science approach by contacting them directly.