Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder
Abstract Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with deficits in social cognition and behavior, but why these deficits are acquired is unknown. We hypothesized that a reduced association between actions and outcomes for others, i.e., social reward learning, would explain prevalent socia...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Translational Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03236-3 |
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| author | Simon Jangard Björn Lindström Lotfi Khemiri Nitya Jayaram-Lindström Andreas Olsson |
| author_facet | Simon Jangard Björn Lindström Lotfi Khemiri Nitya Jayaram-Lindström Andreas Olsson |
| author_sort | Simon Jangard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with deficits in social cognition and behavior, but why these deficits are acquired is unknown. We hypothesized that a reduced association between actions and outcomes for others, i.e., social reward learning, would explain prevalent social deficiencies in AUD. Methods We conducted one laboratory study (n = 234) and one confirmatory online study (n = 258), comparing young adults with AUD to age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls on a standardized reward learning task. In the task, participants learned to maximize reward for another person and for oneself. To elucidate the potential relation between reward learning and social behavior in AUD, we administered two measures: a dictator game task and a self-report measure. Finally, we applied reinforcement learning models to examine the computational properties of learning. Results Social and individual learning, expressed in choice behavior, were comparable in individuals with AUD and healthy controls. Individual differences in learning were not associated with reduced social behavior in AUD. Computational modeling suggested that the learning mechanisms are comparable in AUD and healthy controls and indifferent to whether learning maximizes reward for another person or oneself. Conclusions Individuals with AUD demonstrated preserved reward learning abilities that do not vary with social behavior. Together, these results indicate that reward processes may not be relevant for understanding compromised social behavior in AUD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7cce4f55e59a48769a76c09947d51e9b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2158-3188 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Translational Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-7cce4f55e59a48769a76c09947d51e9b2025-01-26T12:53:36ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882025-01-011511910.1038/s41398-025-03236-3Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorderSimon Jangard0Björn Lindström1Lotfi Khemiri2Nitya Jayaram-Lindström3Andreas Olsson4Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmDivision of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmDivision of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetAbstract Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with deficits in social cognition and behavior, but why these deficits are acquired is unknown. We hypothesized that a reduced association between actions and outcomes for others, i.e., social reward learning, would explain prevalent social deficiencies in AUD. Methods We conducted one laboratory study (n = 234) and one confirmatory online study (n = 258), comparing young adults with AUD to age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls on a standardized reward learning task. In the task, participants learned to maximize reward for another person and for oneself. To elucidate the potential relation between reward learning and social behavior in AUD, we administered two measures: a dictator game task and a self-report measure. Finally, we applied reinforcement learning models to examine the computational properties of learning. Results Social and individual learning, expressed in choice behavior, were comparable in individuals with AUD and healthy controls. Individual differences in learning were not associated with reduced social behavior in AUD. Computational modeling suggested that the learning mechanisms are comparable in AUD and healthy controls and indifferent to whether learning maximizes reward for another person or oneself. Conclusions Individuals with AUD demonstrated preserved reward learning abilities that do not vary with social behavior. Together, these results indicate that reward processes may not be relevant for understanding compromised social behavior in AUD.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03236-3 |
| spellingShingle | Simon Jangard Björn Lindström Lotfi Khemiri Nitya Jayaram-Lindström Andreas Olsson Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder Translational Psychiatry |
| title | Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| title_full | Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| title_fullStr | Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| title_short | Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| title_sort | dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03236-3 |
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