Scientists Have Revealed a Unique Neural Signature for Depression

New research has identified beta frequency activity in the brain’s anterior cingulate cortex as key to how rewards influence behavior, linking it to potential new treatments for anhedonia in depression.
As parents, teachers, and pet owners can attest, rewards play a significant role in shaping behaviors in both humans and animals. Rewards, whether in the form of edible treats, gifts, words of appreciation, praise, fame, or monetary benefits, serve as positive reinforcement for associated behaviors. This correlation between rewards and future choices has been a well-established paradigm in neuroscience research for over a century. However, the neural processes underlying this phenomenon—specifically how the brain encodes, remembers, and translates reward cues into desired future behaviors—remain largely unknown.