Progress on the neurophysiologic mechanisms of social anhedonia and its clinical assessment and treatment
Tian Xiuju
Wang Lijun
Abstract：Social anhedonia is characterized by a persistent lack of social interest and limited expression of positive emotions,often accompanied by diminished social functioning and cognitive impairment.Its pathogenesis arises from the interplay of psychosocial factors and multifaceted neurobiological mechanisms,such as genetic susceptibility,immuno-inflammatory imbalance,and abnormalities in brain structure and reward function.Abnormalities in reward function are characterized by anticipation and completion phase specific deficits,manifested by hyperactivation or hypoactivation of functional areas of the brain as well as reduced wave amplitude of electroencephalographic indices,with clinical assessment relying primarily on self-report scales and treatment strategies spanning drug therapy,physical intervention,and psychological therapy.Future research needs to focus on analyzing the neural coding specificity of social versus monetary rewards,constructing a multimodal clinical assessment system,and developing targeted psychotherapeutic techniques in order to promote the precise diagnosis and treatment for social anhedonia.
Keywords：Social anhedoniaNeural mechanismsReward processingAssessmentTherapeuticReview
Publication Date：2025-10-20
Online Publishing Date：2025-10-29(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 746-751 )