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Aberrant salience and reward processing: a comparison of measures in schizophrenia and anxiety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2020

Suzanne R. Neumann Open the ORCID record for Suzanne R. Neumann [Opens in a new window] ,
Paul Glue  and
Richard J. Linscott
Suzanne R. Neumann*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Paul Glue
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Richard J. Linscott
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
Author for correspondence: Suzanne R. Neumann, E-mail: Suzanne.Neumann@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
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Abstract

Background

Aberrant salience may contribute to the development of schizophrenia symptoms via alterations in reward processing and motivation. However, tests of this hypothesis have yielded inconsistent results. These inconsistencies may reflect problems with the validity and specificity of measures of aberrant salience in schizophrenia. Therefore, we investigated relationships among measures of aberrant salience, reward, and motivation in schizophrenia and anxiety.

Method

Individuals with schizophrenia (n = 30), anxiety (n = 33) or unaffected by mental disorder (n = 30) completed measures of aberrant salience [Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI), Salience Attribution Test (SAT)], motivation (Effort Expenditure for Reward Task), and reinforcer sensitivity (Stimulus Chase Task).

Results

Schizophrenia participants scored higher than anxiety (d = 0.71) and unaffected (d = 1.54) groups on the ASI and exhibited greater aberrant salience (d = 0.60) and lower adaptive salience (d = 0.98) than anxious participants on the SAT. There was no evidence of a correlation between measures of aberrant salience. Schizophrenia was associated with related deficits in motivated behaviour and maladaptive reward processing. However, these differences in reward processing did not correlate with aberrant salience measures.

Conclusions

The results suggest that key measures of aberrant salience have limited specificity and validity. These problems may account for inconsistent findings reported in the literature.

Keywords

Aberrant salienceanxietydecision-makingeffortreinforcer sensitivityschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 51 , Issue 9 , July 2021 , pp. 1507 - 1515
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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