Are memory problems linked to loss of pleasure (anhedonia)?
Official title: Testing a Memory-Based Hypothesis for Anhedonia
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11501053 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether memory problems help explain why adults with conditions like depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia lose interest in things they used to enjoy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $25,900 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH128306-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11501053 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) experiencing anhedonia or with diagnoses such as major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, or PTSD, as well as healthy adults for comparison, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose loss of pleasure is due primarily to non-psychiatric medical conditions, active substance intoxication, or who have severe cognitive impairment preventing task participation may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If I join, I would do memory and reward tasks while researchers record my behavior and brain activity. They will compare how I respond in the moment to pleasant experiences versus how I remember them later, focusing on memory areas such as the hippocampus (including Ammon's horn) and reward circuits. The team will include adults with anhedonia related to depression, schizophrenia, or PTSD as well as healthy adults for comparison, and they will apply computational and AI methods to analyze patterns. Most tests and brain imaging visits would be done in person at UC Irvine.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal biological markers of anhedonia and lead to better ways to diagnose and treat loss of pleasure.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows reward-circuit problems in anhedonia, but the idea that memory failures drive anhedonia is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
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University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yassa, Michael a — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Yassa, Michael a
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.