Contactperson

Anja Lok, a.lok@amsterdamumc.nl

Researchers involved

Anhedonia can worsen depression, increase antidepressant resistance, raise recurrence rates, and elevate suicide risk. Diagnosing and treating anhedonia is challenging, as traditional methods often overlook the complexity of reward processing, leading to inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective treatments. Adolescents with anhedonia typically show dysfunction in brain regions tied to reward processing and linked to dopamine activity, such as the prefrontal cortex and striatum. Understanding these neural mechanisms can lead to better diagnosis and targeted interventions. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a non-invasive advanced neuroimaging technique. We will explore the synergistic application of fNIRS and rTMS to develop a novel, personalized approach for diagnose and treating anhedonia in adolescents with depression. We also add-on assessments of interoceptive awareness and VNS/HRV devices.