It still hurts: Altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder

D. T. Hsu; B. J. Sanford; K. K. Meyers; T. M. Love; K. E. Hazlett; S. J. Walker; B. J. Mickey; R. A. Koeppe; S. A. Langenecker; J. K. Zubieta

doi:10.1038/mp.2014.185

It still hurts: Altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder

D. T. Hsu, B. J. Sanford, K. K. Meyers, T. M. Love, K. E. Hazlett, S. J. Walker, B. J. Mickey, R. A. Koeppe, S. A. Langenecker, J. K. Zubieta

Psychiatry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

147 Scopus citations

Abstract

The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system, well known for dampening physical pain, is also hypothesized to dampen 'social pain.' We used positron emission tomography scanning with the selective MOR radioligand [¹¹C]carfentanil to test the hypothesis that MOR system activation (reflecting endogenous opioid release) in response to social rejection and acceptance is altered in medication-free patients diagnosed with current major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 17) compared with healthy controls (HCs, n = 18). During rejection, MDD patients showed reduced endogenous opioid release in brain regions regulating stress, mood and motivation, and slower emotional recovery compared with HCs. During acceptance, only HCs showed increased social motivation, which was positively correlated with endogenous opioid release in the nucleus accumbens, a reward structure. Altered endogenous opioid activity in MDD may hinder emotional recovery from negative social interactions and decrease pleasure derived from positive interactions. Both effects may reinforce depression, trigger relapse and contribute to poor treatment outcomes.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	193-200
Number of pages	8
Journal	Molecular Psychiatry
Volume	20
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2014.185
State	Published - Feb 1 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Molecular Biology
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Psychiatry and Mental health

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10.1038/mp.2014.185

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title = "It still hurts: Altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder",

abstract = "The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system, well known for dampening physical pain, is also hypothesized to dampen 'social pain.' We used positron emission tomography scanning with the selective MOR radioligand [11C]carfentanil to test the hypothesis that MOR system activation (reflecting endogenous opioid release) in response to social rejection and acceptance is altered in medication-free patients diagnosed with current major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 17) compared with healthy controls (HCs, n = 18). During rejection, MDD patients showed reduced endogenous opioid release in brain regions regulating stress, mood and motivation, and slower emotional recovery compared with HCs. During acceptance, only HCs showed increased social motivation, which was positively correlated with endogenous opioid release in the nucleus accumbens, a reward structure. Altered endogenous opioid activity in MDD may hinder emotional recovery from negative social interactions and decrease pleasure derived from positive interactions. Both effects may reinforce depression, trigger relapse and contribute to poor treatment outcomes.",

author = "Hsu, {D. T.} and Sanford, {B. J.} and Meyers, {K. K.} and Love, {T. M.} and Hazlett, {K. E.} and Walker, {S. J.} and Mickey, {B. J.} and Koeppe, {R. A.} and Langenecker, {S. A.} and Zubieta, {J. K.}",

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AU - Walker, S. J.

AU - Mickey, B. J.

AU - Koeppe, R. A.

AU - Langenecker, S. A.

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It still hurts: Altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major depressive disorder

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