Developmental changes in neurobiological and psychological systems render adolescence a vulnerable period for the emergence of risk factors associated with psychopathology. Anhedonia (i.e., the reduced ability to anticipate or experience pleasure) is a core characteristic of multiple psychopathologies that increase during adolescence. Aberrant stress responsivity and recovery across multiple physiological systems may contribute to anhedonia [1], however current research is limited in its focus on singular biological systems (i.e., neural or physiological). Examining the additive and interactive activity across multiple systems offers a more nuanced approach, which may uncover individualized treatments for anhedonia (i.e., “precision psychiatry”).

Evidence implicates disruptions of fronto-striatal and fronto-limbic circuits that are involved in the anticipation, expectation, and consumption of pleasurable experiences. Prefrontal cortical regions and their connectivity, which mature through adolescence, are involved in executive functioning, decision-making, and impulse control. An immature prefrontal cortex can impair the ability to regulate emotions and stress responses. The limbic system, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, also becomes more reactive to stress during adolescence. Disruptions in the maturation of neural circuits can contribute to aberrant stress responses and long-term risk for anhedonia.

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