Enhancing Motivation in Post-Depression Recovery with Large and Likely Rewards

Recent research highlights that individuals who have recovered from depression demonstrate a reduced willingness to exert effort for potential rewards compared to those who have never experienced depression. However, this motivational deficit can be mitigated when the rewards are substantial and highly probable. Conducted by a team of researchers and published in
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, the study provides new insights into the subtle cognitive and motivational challenges faced by those in remission from depression.

Despite mood improvements post-recovery, many individuals retain certain cognitive and motivational impairments, particularly in reward processing, which may contribute to relapse vulnerability and functional impairments in daily life. The exact mechanisms behind these persistent deficits were previously unclear. To explore this, researchers used advanced computational methods to analyze decision-making behavior in individuals with a history of depression who were unmedicated and in remission, alongside a control group with no history of depression.

The experimental design involved participants choosing between low-effort, smaller-reward tasks and high-effort tasks with the potential for larger rewards. Findings revealed that while individuals with a history of depression generally preferred less effortful choices, their motivation increased significantly when the rewards were large and certain. This suggests that providing clear, high-value incentives can effectively boost motivation in people recovering from depression, offering a possible pathway for targeted interventions.

Expert commentary from Cameron S. Carter, MD, emphasizes that understanding how individuals evaluate rewards versus effort can naturally inform treatment strategies. Meanwhile, first author Dr. Manuel Kuhn notes the importance of computational modeling in revealing latent decision-making processes not observable through traditional methods. These insights could lead to more personalized and effective approaches to sustain recovery and prevent relapse, ultimately improving long-term outcomes for those affected.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-large-highly-rewards-individuals-recovered.html