eLife · 29 September 2026 · From issue 44
Dissociable roles of reward prediction error in the contrasting mood dynamics of depression and anxiety
Depression dulls mood swings after wins or losses, while anxiety makes mood swing more.
Zhihao Wang, Ting Wang et al.
Depression and anxiety change mood in opposite ways after wins and losses. Depression dulls mood swings, making people react less to rewards or setbacks. Anxiety does the reverse. It makes mood swing more with each win or loss, at least in people without a diagnosed mental health condition. A trait shared by both depression and anxiety was linked to a lower overall mood and more caution around risk.
The number of people tested across five gambling task experiments measuring mood swings after wins and losses.
Gambling task study, anxiety result not yet confirmed in patients.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 30 September 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (eLife). Read the source
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