A Simple Game Could Revolutionize Depression Diagnosis and Treatment

Millions of people worldwide suffer from depression. Diagnosis currently depends on questionnaires and patients’ own reports. Researchers at NYU Langone Health have now proposed an objective way to assess a key symptom: anhedonia. The team designed a simple three-minute game. Participants harvested digital apples in exchange for virtual money. Both healthy individuals and those with depression earned around $27, but the depressed group had roughly 50% higher expectations for rewards.

In one experiment, healthy players adjusted their strategy as the game changed. They typically switched trees when only four or five apples remained. Those with depression, however, moved on much earlier, leaving eight or nine apples behind.

A second test showed healthy individuals quickly updated their assessments of snack values based on context. The depressed group struggled to adapt their expectations when conditions shifted. The study suggests depression impairs the ability to adjust expectations in changing situations. The method could offer a fast, objective test for diagnosis and treatment tracking. It may also provide a new target for therapy in the future.