Intact responses to non-drug rewards in long-term opioid maintenance treatment

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019 Jul;44(8):1456-1463. doi: 10.1038/s41386-019-0377-9. Epub 2019 Mar 31.

Abstract

Disruption of non-drug reward processing in addiction could stem from long-term drug use, addiction-related psychosocial stress, or a combination of these. It remains unclear whether long-term opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) disrupts reward processing. Here, we measured subjective and objective reward responsiveness in 26 previously heroin-addicted mothers in >7 years stable OMT with minimal psychosocial stress and illicit drug use. The comparison group was 30 healthy age-matched mothers (COMP). Objective reward responsiveness was assessed in a two-alternative forced-choice task with skewed rewards. Results were also compared to performance from an additional 968 healthy volunteers (meta-analytic approach). We further compared subprocesses of reward-based decisions across groups using computational modelling with a Bayesian drift diffusion model of decision making. Self-reported responsiveness to non-drug rewards was high for both groups (means: OMT = 6.59, COMP = 6.67, p = 0.84, BF10 = 0.29), yielding moderate evidence against subjective anhedonia in this OMT group. Importantly, the mothers in OMT also displayed robust reward responsiveness in the behavioral task (t19 = 2.72, p = 0.013, BF10 = 3.98; d = 0.61). Monetary reward changed their task behavior to the same extent as the local comparison group (reward bias OMT = 0.12, COMP = 0.12, p = 0.96, BF10 = 0.18) and in line with data from 968 healthy controls previously tested. Computational modelling revealed that long-term OMT did not even change decision subprocesses underpinning reward behavior. We conclude that reduced sensitivity to rewards and anhedonia are not necessary consequences of prolonged opioid use.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Choice Behavior
  • Decision Making*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Models, Psychological
  • Opiate Substitution Treatment
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / psychology*
  • Reward*