The findings of a newly conducted study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry stated that the functional architecture of the brain′s reward system can be used to infer whether an individual′s hunger would increase or decrease during depression. Many depressed individuals lose not just their motivation and interest in enjoyable activities but also their appetite. At the same time, other patients claimed that their appetite increased during the depression.

The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging and observed that specific alterations in the brain′s reward system are related to the direction of hunger changes associated with depression. They concentrated on the nucleus accumbens, one of the key areas involved in processing rewards and regulating goal-directed behaviour, and other brain regions, for their functional connectivity (also known as connection strength; it describes the strength of communication between various brain regions).

It was observed that the strength of the link between the reward system and other areas that are crucial for value-based judgments and memory processes was weakened in depressed individuals who lost their appetite, while a weak connection was seen between the reward system and the area of the brain that processes inputs and physical signals for taste among individuals with depression having appetite increased.

The researchers intend to conduct additional studies on enhanced therapeutic approaches utilizing neuromodulation techniques, including brain stimulation. The goal is to discover how brain changes to specific symptoms and whether they may be cured with specialized neuro-modulatory treatments.  (Hindustan Times, 25 Aug 2022)