The brain hierarchically represents the past and future during multistep anticipation.

Memory for temporal structure enables both planning of future events and retrospection of past events. We investigated how the brain flexibly represents extended temporal sequences into the past and future during anticipation. Participants learned sequences of environments in immersive virtual reality. Pairs of sequences had the same environments in a different order, enabling context-specific learning. During fMRI, participants anticipated upcoming environments multiple steps into the future in a given sequence. Temporal structure was represented in the hippocampus and across higher-order visual regions (1) bidirectionally, with graded representations into the past and future and (2) hierarchically, with further events into the past and future represented in successively more anterior brain regions. In hippocampus, these bidirectional representations were context-specific, and suppression of far-away environments predicted response time costs in anticipation. Together, this work sheds light on how we flexibly represent sequential structure to enable planning over multiple timescales.

Anticipatory and evoked visual cortical dynamics of voluntary temporal attention.

We can often anticipate the precise moment when a stimulus will be relevant for our behavioral goals. Voluntary temporal attention, the prioritization of sensory information at task-relevant time points, enhances visual perception. However, the neural mechanisms of voluntary temporal attention have not been isolated from those of temporal expectation, which reflects timing predictability rather than relevance. Here we use time-resolved steady-state visual evoked responses (SSVER) to investigate how temporal attention dynamically modulates visual activity when temporal expectation is controlled. We recorded magnetoencephalography while participants directed temporal attention to one of two sequential grating targets with predictable timing. Meanwhile, a co-localized SSVER probe continuously tracked visual cortical modulations both before and after the target stimuli. We find that in the pre-target period, the SSVER gradually ramps up as the targets approach, reflecting temporal expectation. Furthermore, we find a low-frequency modulation of the SSVER, which shifts approximately half a cycle in phase according to which target is attended. In the post-target period, temporal attention to the first target transiently modulates the SSVER shortly after target onset. Thus, temporal attention dynamically modulates visual cortical responses via both periodic pre-target and transient post-target mechanisms to prioritize sensory information at precise moments.

Contextual modulation of human associative learning following novelty-facilitated extinction, counterconditioning, and conventional extinction.

The expression of an association between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US) can be attenuated by presenting the CS by itself (i.e., extinction, Ext). Though effective, Ext is susceptible to recovery effects such as renewal, spontaneous recovery, and reinstatement. Dunsmoor et al. (2015, 2019) have proposed that pairing the CS with a neutral outcome (novelty-facilitated Ext [NFE]) could offer better protection against recovery effects than Ext. Though NFE has been compared to Ext, it has rarely been compared to counterconditioning (CC), a similar procedure except that the CS is paired with a US having a valence opposite to the US used in initial training. We report two aversive conditioning experiments using the rapid-trial streaming procedure with human participants that compare the efficacies and susceptibilities to ABA renewal of Ext, CC, and NFE. Associative learning was assessed through expectancy learning and evaluative conditioning. CC and NFE equally decreased anticipation of the US in the presence of the CS (i.e., expectancy learning). Depending on how the CS-US association was probed, they were either as or more effective at doing so than Ext. All three interference treatments were equally susceptible to context manipulations. Only CC clearly altered the valence of the CS (i.e., evaluative conditioning). Valence ratings after Ext, CC, and NFE, as well as a no-interference control condition, were all equally susceptible to context effects. Overall, the present study does not support the assertion that NFE is consistently more resistant to recovery effects than Ext. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Virtual reality to characterize anticipation skills of top-level 4 x 100 m relay athletes.

One marker of expertise in sport is athletes' ability to anticipate future events. In the 4 × 100 m relay, these anticipation skills are an essential asset for initiating their run at the right time. However, no study has focused on describing the underlying perceptual-motor processes involved. Virtual reality provides powerful tools to describe and understand these processes, overcoming the drastic constraints encountered in the real world. Nineteen athletes from the French national teams were immersed in a digital replica of the Stade de France and confronted with digital twins of potential partners based on motion capture. Their task was to initiate their run exactly when their virtual partner passed over a go-mark placed on the ground. The timing of different body motor events and visual behavior were measured and analyzed. Results showed that the execution of this highly constrained task is the result of a significant reduction in the variability of motor events preceding the start. These findings reveal the implementation of a perceptual-motor dialog until the initiation of the run. This study is a first step toward understanding the mechanisms underlying anticipation skills in the 4 × 100 m relay; it constitutes a preliminary step to the deployment of VR training protocols.

The strength of anticipated distractors shapes EEG alpha and theta oscillations in a Working Memory task.

Working Memory (WM) requires maintenance of task-relevant information and suppression of task-irrelevant/distracting information. Alpha and theta oscillations have been extensively investigated in relation to WM. However, studies that examine both theta and alpha bands in relation to distractors, encompassing not only power modulation but also connectivity modulation, remain scarce. Here, we depicted, at the EEG-source level, the increase in power and connectivity in theta and alpha bands induced by strong relative to weak distractors during a visual Sternberg-like WM task involving the encoding of verbal items. During retention, a strong or weak distractor was presented, predictable in time and nature. Analysis focused on the encoding and retention phases before distractor presentation. Theta and alpha power were computed in cortical regions of interest, and connectivity networks estimated via spectral Granger causality and synthetized using in/out degree indices. The following modulations were observed for strong vs. weak distractors. In theta band during encoding, the power in frontal regions increased, together with frontal-to-frontal and bottom-up occipital-to-temporal-to-frontal connectivity; even during retention, bottom-up theta connectivity increased. In alpha band during retention, but not during encoding, the power in temporal-occipital regions increased, together with top-down frontal-to-occipital and temporal-to-occipital connectivity. From our results, we postulate a proactive cooperation between theta and alpha mechanisms: the first would mediate enhancement of target representation both during encoding and retention, and the second would mediate increased inhibition of sensory areas during retention only, to suppress the processing of imminent distractor without interfering with the processing of ongoing target stimulus during encoding.

A U-shaped relationship between chronic academic stress and the dynamics of reward processing.

Despite the potential link between stress-induced reward dysfunctions and the development of mental problems, limited human research has investigated the specific impacts of chronic stress on the dynamics of reward processing. Here we aimed to investigate the relationship between chronic academic stress and the dynamics of reward processing (i.e., reward anticipation and reward consumption) using event-related potential (ERP) technology. Ninety healthy undergraduates who were preparing for the National Postgraduate Entrance Examination (NPEE) participated in the study and completed a two-door reward task, their chronic stress levels were assessed via the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The results showed that a lower magnitude of reward elicited more negative amplitudes of cue-N2 during the anticipatory phase, and reward omission elicited more negative amplitudes of FRN compared to reward delivery especially in high reward conditions during the consummatory phase. More importantly, the PSS score exhibited a U-shaped relationship with cue-N2 amplitudes regardless of reward magnitude during the anticipatory phase; and FRN amplitudes toward reward omission in high reward condition during the consummatory phase. These findings suggest that individuals exposed to either low or high levels of chronic stress, as opposed to moderate stress levels, exhibited a heightened reward anticipation, and an augmented violation of expectations or affective response when faced with relatively more negative outcomes.

Action expectancy modulates activity in the mirror neuron system and mentalizing system.

Action understanding involves two distinct processing levels that engage separate neural mechanisms: perception of concrete kinematic information and recognition of abstract action intentions. The mirror neuron system and the mentalizing system have both been linked to concrete action and abstract information processing, but their specific roles remain debatable. Here, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study with 26 participants who passively observed expected and unexpected actions. We performed whole-brain activation, region of interest, and effective connectivity analyses to investigate the neural correlates of these actions. Whole-brain activation analyses revealed that expected actions were associated with increased activation in the left medial superior frontal gyrus, while unexpected actions were linked to heightened activity in the left supramarginal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, right inferior temporal gyrus, and left middle frontal gyrus. Region of interest analyses demonstrated that the left ventral premotor cortex exhibited greater activation during the observation of expected actions compared to unexpected actions, while the left inferior frontal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, and left precuneus showed stronger activation during the observation of unexpected actions. Effective connectivity was observed between the left ventral premotor cortex and the left angular gyrus, left intraparietal sulcus, left dorsal premotor cortex, and left ventromedial prefrontal cortex with the middle frontal gyrus when observing unexpected, but not expected, actions. These findings suggest that expected actions are primarily processed by the mirror neuron system, whereas unexpected actions engage both the mirror neuron system and the mentalizing system, with these systems playing complementary roles in the understanding of unexpected actions.

Electrocortical Responses in Anticipation of Avoidable and Inevitable Threats: A Multisite Study.

When faced with danger, human beings respond with a repertoire of defensive behaviors, including freezing and active avoidance. Previous research has revealed a pattern of physiological responses, characterized by heart rate bradycardia, reduced visual exploration, and heightened sympathetic arousal in reaction to avoidable threats, suggesting a state of attentive immobility in humans. However, the electrocortical underpinnings of these behaviors remain largely unexplored. To investigate the visuocortical components of attentive immobility, we recorded parieto-occipital alpha activity, along with eye movements and autonomic responses, while participants awaited either an avoidable, inevitable, or no threat. To test the robustness and generalizability of our findings, we collected data from a total of 101 participants (76 females, 25 males) at two laboratories. Across sites, we observed an enhanced suppression of parieto-occipital alpha activity during avoidable threats, in contrast to inevitable or no threat trials, particularly toward the end of the trial that prompted avoidance responses. This response pattern coincided with heart rate bradycardia, centralization of gaze, and increased sympathetic arousal. Furthermore, our findings expand on previous research by revealing that the amount of alpha suppression, along with centralization of gaze, and heart rate changes predict the speed of motor responses. Collectively, these findings indicate that when individuals encounter avoidable threats, they enter a state of attentive immobility, which enhances perceptual processing and facilitates action preparation. This state appears to reflect freezing-like behavior in humans.

Mindfulness facets are differentially related with reward processing stages in striatum and alcohol use in adolescence.

Attenuated functional processing of non-drug rewards in striatal regions is an important mechanism in the transition from normal to hazardous alcohol use. Recent interventions seek to enhance nondrug reward processing through mindfulness, a mechanism that targets attention regulation and self-regulatory processes. It is yet unclear which specific aspects of mindfulness and which stages of reward processing are relevant preventive targets, particularly in adolescence, where alcohol use is often initiated and reward relating processing streams undergo continuous maturation. Fifty-four 14- and 16-year-old adolescents (54% female) completed the monetary incentive delay task (MID) during event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Alcohol use and dispositional mindfulness facets were measured using self-report instruments. Mindful Attention Regulation was positively associated with anticipatory reward processing in ventral striatum, whereas feedback-related processing in dorsal striatum was associated with the mindfulness facet Body-Listening. Only Attention Regulation was additionally associated with frequency of alcohol consumption and mediated the relationship between functional activation in ventral striatum during reward anticipation and alcohol use. Attention Regulation, beyond other mindfulness facets, might contribute to potentially triggering neural mechanisms of anticipatory, but not feedback-related reward processing and alcohol use, presenting a potential target for preventive efforts in combating transitions to substance-related disorders in adolescents.

Human movement strategies in uncertain environments: A synergy-based approach to the stability-agility tradeoff.

Humans frequently prepare for agile movements by decreasing stability. This facilitates transitions between movements but increases vulnerability to external disruptions. Therefore, humans might weigh the risk of disruption against the gain in agility and scale their stability to the likelihood of having to perform an agility-demanding action. We used the theory of motor synergies to investigate how humans manage this stability-agility tradeoff under uncertainty. This theory has long quantified stability using the synergy index, and reduction in stability before movement transitions using anticipatory synergy adjustment (ASA). However, the impact of uncertainty - whether a quick action should be executed or inhibited - on ASA is unknown. Furthermore, the impact of ASA on execution and inhibition of the action is unclear. We combined multi-finger, isometric force production with the go/no-go paradigm. Thirty participants performed constant force (no-go task), rapid force pulse (go task), and randomized go and no-go trials (go/no-go task) in response to visual cues. We measured the pre-cue finger forces and computed ASA using the uncontrolled manifold method and quantified the spatio-temporal features of the force after the visual cue. We expected ASA in both go/no-go and go tasks, but larger ASA for the latter. Surprisingly, we observed ASA only for the go task. For the go/no-go task, 53% of participants increased stability before the cue. The high stability hindered performance, leading to increased errors in no-go trials and lower peak forces in go trials. These results align with the stability-agility tradeoff. It is puzzling why some participants increased stability even though 80% of the trials demanded agility. This study indicates that individual differences in the effect of task uncertainty and motor inhibition on ASA is unexplored in motor synergy theory and presents a method for further development.

Our brains sense the future through a new quantum-like implicit learning mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Imagine if our brains could unconsciously predict future events. This study explores this concept, presenting evidence for an inherent 'foreseeing' ability, termed anomalous cognition (AC). We introduce a new experimentally verifiable approach to explain anomalous information anticipation (AIA), a type of AC, based on an innovative, quantum-like model of implicit learning, grounded in Nonlocal Plasticity Theory (NPT). METHODS: Our research involved 203 participants using methods such as continuous flash suppression, random dot motion, and advanced 3D EEG neuroimaging, along with IBM quantum random event generators for precise measurements across 144 trials. These trials tested contingencies between undetectable sensory stimuli and dot movements, focusing on participants' prediction abilities. The design conditions were strictly experimental, violating fundamental classical learning principles, particularly reflex conditioning. If these principles were immutable, their violation would prevent any systematic behavioral changes, resulting in random responses. This violation was implemented through two quantum physics concepts: the mathematical principle of nonlocality and entanglement. RESULTS: Despite the sensory stimulus being inaccessible, our results showed a significant prediction between the contingencies and an increase in AIA accuracy, with explained variances between 25 % and 48 %. EEG findings supported this, showing a positive link between brain activity in specific regions and AIA success. Electrochemical activations were detected in the posterior occipital cortex, the intraparietal sulcus, and the medial temporal gyri. AIA hits exceeded the threshold value corresponding to one standard deviation above the expected mean, showing moderate effect sizes in the experimental group (Cohen's d = 0.461). Analyzing the learning curve using the derivation technique, we identified the acceleration point of the wave function, indicating systematic implicit learning. This result showed that from repetition 63 onwards, AIA hits increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that, despite violating fundamental classical learning principles, cognitive processes produced changes in participants' responses susceptible to neuromodulation, considering quantum physics principles of nonlocality and entanglement (both present in NPT). We discuss (a) why the priming effect does not explain the significant results; (b) the potential discovery of a new form of quantum-like implicit learning, which could scientifically resolve phenomena associated with anomalous cognitions (e.g., AIA); and (c) future research directions, including potential applications and clinical impact.

Anticipated stress predicts the cortisol awakening response: An intensive longitudinal pilot study.

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) has been hypothesized to prepare the body for anticipated demands of the upcoming day. This pilot study investigates the influence of anticipated stress on the upcoming day on the CAR, using an intensive longitudinal design with ecological momentary assessments. Over a 30-day period, three healthy participants collected saliva samples each morning at three time points after awakening to measure cortisol levels and completed a questionnaire each evening on the anticipated stress for the following day. Additionally, they wore a smart headband to objectively determine the time point of awakening. There was high variability in the CAR magnitude within participants over time. A multi-level model was estimated to investigate the influence of anticipated stress on the CAR. Results indicated that anticipated stress is predictive of the CAR on the following morning, with higher anticipated stress being associated with increased cortisol levels at the post-awakening time points. These findings underscore the role of stress anticipation in modulating the CAR and highlight the importance of considering within-person variation and temporally lagged effects in biopsychological research.

Chronic stress deficits in reward behaviour co-occur with low nucleus accumbens dopamine activity during reward anticipation specifically.

Whilst reward pathologies are major and common in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, their neurobiology and treatment are poorly understood. Imaging studies in human reward pathology indicate attenuated BOLD activity in nucleus accumbens (NAc) coincident with reward anticipation but not reinforcement; potentially, this is dopamine (DA) related. In mice, chronic social stress (CSS) leads to reduced reward learning and motivation. Here, DA-sensor fibre photometry is used to investigate whether these behavioural deficits co-occur with altered NAc DA activity during reward anticipation and/or reinforcement. In CSS mice relative to controls: (1) Reduced discriminative learning of the sequence, tone-on + appetitive behaviour = tone-on + sucrose reinforcement, co-occurs with attenuated NAc DA activity throughout tone-on and sucrose reinforcement. (2) Reduced motivation during the sequence, operant behaviour = tone-on + sucrose delivery + sucrose reinforcement, co-occurs with attenuated NAc DA activity at tone-on and typical activity at sucrose reinforcement. (3) Reduced motivation during the sequence, operant behaviour = appetitive behaviour + sociosexual reinforcement, co-occurs with typical NAc DA activity at female reinforcement. Therefore, in CSS mice, low NAc DA activity co-occurs with low reward anticipation and could account for deficits in learning and motivation, with important implications for understanding human reward pathology.

A coactivation strategy in anticipatory postural adjustments during voluntary unilateral arm movement while standing in individuals with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.

Individuals with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (BSCP) reportedly has problems with anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) while standing. However, the use of coactivation strategy in APAs in individuals with BSCP has conflicting evidence. Hence, this study aimed to investigate postural muscle activities in BSCP during unilateral arm flexion task in which postural perturbations occur in the sagittal, frontal, and horizontal planes. We included 10 individuals with BSCP with level II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (BSCP group) and 10 individuals without disability (control group). The participants stood on a force platform and rapidly flexed a shoulder from 0° to 90° at their own timing. Surface electromyograms were recorded from the rectus femoris, medial hamstring, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius. The control group showed a mixture of anticipatory activation and inhibition of postural muscles, whereas the BSCP group predominantly exhibited anticipatory activation with slight anticipatory inhibition. Compared with the control group, the BSCP group tended to activate the ipsilateral and contralateral postural muscles and the agonist-antagonist muscle pairs. The BSCP group had a larger disturbance in postural equilibrium, quantified by the peak displacement of center of pressure during the unilateral arm flexion, than those without disability. Individuals with BSCP may use coactivation strategy, mainly the anticipatory activation of postural muscle activity, during a task that requires a selective postural muscle activity to maintain stable posture.

Switching between task control modes incurs greater reprogramming costs than programming the response de novo.

When performing synchronous hand and foot movements, the way the limbs are synchronized differs depending on the mode of control. When performed in a reaction time (RT) paradigm (reactive control), EMG onsets become synchronized resulting in asynchronous displacement onset. However, when the same movement is performed as an anticipation-timing task (predictive control), displacement onset is synchronized by unconsciously introducing a small delay between EMG onsets. The present experiment investigated the reprogramming costs associated with switching between predictive and reaction control modes. Participants (N = 12, 6F) were asked to simultaneously lift their right heel and right hand in an anticipation-timing task when a rotating clock hand reached a specified target. On some trials, an auditory stimulus was presented either 250 ms or 500 ms before the target and participants were instructed to execute the synchronous movement as quickly as possible after the signal (i.e., switch to reactive mode). Results showed that when the auditory stimulus was delivered 250 ms before the target, participants were unable to switch to a reactive control mode but did switch when the auditory stimulus was presented 500 ms before the target. As expected, the RT on switch trials was substantially longer (∼230 ms) than a simple RT control condition but was also significantly longer (∼130 ms) than a choice RT control condition. These results indicate that switching between control modes for a task involving the same musculature incurs reprogramming costs that are even greater than the time required to program the response de novo.

Consolidation Enhances Sequential Multistep Anticipation but Diminishes Access to Perceptual Features.

Many experiences unfold predictably over time. Memory for these temporal regularities enables anticipation of events multiple steps into the future. Because temporally predictable events repeat over days, weeks, and years, we must maintain-and potentially transform-memories of temporal structure to support adaptive behavior. We explored how individuals build durable models of temporal regularities to guide multistep anticipation. Healthy young adults (Experiment 1: N = 99, age range = 18-40 years; Experiment 2: N = 204, age range = 19-40 years) learned sequences of scene images that were predictable at the category level and contained incidental perceptual details. Individuals then anticipated upcoming scene categories multiple steps into the future, immediately and at a delay. Consolidation increased the efficiency of anticipation, particularly for events further in the future, but diminished access to perceptual features. Further, maintaining a link-based model of the sequence after consolidation improved anticipation accuracy. Consolidation may therefore promote efficient and durable models of temporal structure, thus facilitating anticipation of future events.

Accelerating Visual Anticipation in Sport Through Temporal Occlusion Training: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The video-based temporal occlusion paradigm has been consistently used in visual anticipation sport research. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis investigated the magnitude to which video-based temporal occlusion training could improve anticipation skill with transfer to representative laboratory and field tasks. METHODS: As there are considerably fewer anticipation training than performance studies, the meta-analysis included 12 intervention studies with 25 effect sizes where video simulation and/or field-based tests were used. The Downs and Black checklist adapted for sports science research was used to assess methodological quality of the included studies. Decision time and accuracy of anticipation were the outcome measures because both are relevant to sports skills. The changes in these measures between experimental and control groups from baseline to the transfer test context were used to calculate the magnitude of the training effect. RESULTS: Findings revealed a significant training effect, including a large meta-analytic effect size, and no difference in training benefit across video and field-based transfer tests. Publication bias analyses were inconclusive, likely due to the small number of available studies. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are evidence that the temporal occlusion paradigm is an effective method to improve visual anticipation skill across representative perceptual and perceptual-motor transfer tests. The theoretical implication based upon the two-stage model of visual anticipation is that temporal occlusion training can improve use of early information for body positioning by the performer, which could in turn lead to improved execution of the skill goal.

Neural circuit basis of placebo pain relief.

Placebo effects are notable demonstrations of mind-body interactions1,2. During pain perception, in the absence of any treatment, an expectation of pain relief can reduce the experience of pain-a phenomenon known as placebo analgesia3-6. However, despite the strength of placebo effects and their impact on everyday human experience and the failure of clinical trials for new therapeutics7, the neural circuit basis of placebo effects has remained unclear. Here we show that analgesia from the expectation of pain relief is mediated by rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) neurons that project to the pontine nucleus (rACC→Pn)-a precerebellar nucleus with no established function in pain. We created a behavioural assay that generates placebo-like anticipatory pain relief in mice. In vivo calcium imaging of neural activity and electrophysiological recordings in brain slices showed that expectations of pain relief boost the activity of rACC→Pn neurons and potentiate neurotransmission in this pathway. Transcriptomic studies of Pn neurons revealed an abundance of opioid receptors, further suggesting a role in pain modulation. Inhibition of the rACC→Pn pathway disrupted placebo analgesia and decreased pain thresholds, whereas activation elicited analgesia in the absence of placebo conditioning. Finally, Purkinje cells exhibited activity patterns resembling those of rACC→Pn neurons during pain-relief expectation, providing cellular-level evidence for a role of the cerebellum in cognitive pain modulation. These findings open the possibility of targeting this prefrontal cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathway with drugs or neurostimulation to treat pain.

Fifty Percent of the Time, Tones Come Every Time: Stronger Prediction Error Effects on Neurophysiological Sensory Attenuation for Self-generated Tones.

The N1/P2 amplitude reduction for self-generated tones in comparison to external tones in EEG, which has recently also been described for action observation, is an example of the so-called sensory attenuation. Whether this effect is dependent on motor-based or general predictive mechanisms is unclear. Using a paradigm, in which actions (button presses) elicited tones in only half the trials, this study examined how the processing of the tones is modulated by the prediction error in each trial in a self-performed action compared with action observation. In addition, we considered the effect of temporal predictability by adding a third condition, in which visual cues were followed by external tones in half the trials. The attenuation result patterns differed for N1 and P2 amplitudes, but neither showed an attenuation effect beyond temporal predictability. Interestingly, we found that both N1 and P2 amplitudes reflected prediction errors derived from a reinforcement learning model, in that larger errors coincided with larger amplitudes. This effect was stronger for tones following button presses compared with cued external tones, but only for self-performed and not for observed actions. Taken together, our results suggest that attenuation effects are partially driven by general predictive mechanisms irrespective of self-performed actions. However, the stronger prediction-error effects for self-generated tones suggest that distinct motor-related factors beyond temporal predictability, potentially linked to reinforcement learning, play a role in the underlying mechanisms. Further research is needed to validate these initial findings as the calculation of the prediction errors was limited by the design of the experiment.

Social anhedonia in the daily lives of people with schizophrenia: Examination of anticipated and consummatory pleasure.

Social anhedonia is a hallmark symptom of schizophrenia. Discrepancies in anticipated versus consummatory pleasure for non-social stimuli are well-documented. Thus, a similar emotional paradox may underlie social anhedonia. If so, our understanding of social anhedonia-including how to treat it in schizophrenia-could be enhanced. This project used a 5-day experience sampling method (ESM) to measure discrepancies between anticipated and consummatory pleasure for real-world social activities in people with schizophrenia and healthy controls (n = 30/group). ESM results were compared to laboratory assessments of negative symptoms and neurocognition. The schizophrenia group exhibited similar levels of anticipated and consummatory social pleasure as controls throughout daily life, and both groups were accurate in their short-term predictions of pleasure. Clinical interviews revealed those with schizophrenia showed significant deficits in long-term social pleasure prediction (i.e., a 1-week timeframe). Thus, people with schizophrenia may exhibit differences in ability to predict pleasure in the short-term versus the long-term. Negative symptoms and neurocognition were related to anticipated, but not consummatory, social pleasure, suggesting anhedonia is driven by deficits in thinking about pleasure, rather than inability to experience pleasure. Clinical implications include focusing on building upon short-term ability to predict pleasure in therapy to increase social motivation in schizophrenia.