The link between callous-unemotional traits and neural mechanisms of reward processing: An fMRI study

Kim Veroude; Daniel von Rhein; Roselyne J M Chauvin; Eelco V van Dongen; Maarten J J Mennes; Barbara Franke; Dirk J Heslenfeld; Jaap Oosterlaan; Catharina A Hartman; Pieter J Hoekstra; Jeffrey C Glennon; Jan K Buitelaar

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.08.005

The link between callous-unemotional traits and neural mechanisms of reward processing: An fMRI study

Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2016 Sep 30:255:75-80. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.08.005. Epub 2016 Aug 15.

Affiliations

¹ Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
³ Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
⁴ Departments of Human Genetics and Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
⁵ Clinical Neuropsychology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁶ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, The Netherlands.
⁷ Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

PMID: 27564545
DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.08.005

Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits, i.e., unconcernedness and lack of prosocial feelings, may manifest in Conduct Disorder (CD), but also in Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These disorders have been associated with aberrant reward processing, while the influence of CU traits is unclear. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), we examined whether CU traits affect the neural circuit for reward. A Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task was administered to 328 adolescents and young adults with varying levels of CU traits: 40 participants with ODD/CD plus ADHD, 101 participants with ADHD only, 84 siblings of probands with ADHD and 103 typically developing (TD) individuals. During reward anticipation, CU traits related negatively to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity, independent of ADHD symptoms and ODD/CD diagnosis. Our results indicate that CU traits are a valuable dimension for assessing the neural basis of reward processing.

Keywords: ADHD; Brain; CD; Psychopathy; mPFC.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnostic imaging
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
Brain / diagnostic imaging*
Conduct Disorder / diagnostic imaging
Conduct Disorder / physiopathology
Conduct Disorder / psychology
Emotions / physiology*
Empathy / physiology*
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Reward*
Young Adult