An evolutionary model of low mood states

It has been suggested that low mood in humans is an adaptive response to unfavourable circumstances, and that the anhedonia, pessimism and fatigue that often accompany it function to minimise risk until circumstances improve. While this is plausible, it would be possible to make the opposite predict...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of theoretical biology 2009-03, Vol.257 (1), p.100-103
Main Author: Nettle, Daniel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affect - physiology
Animals
Biological Evolution
Choice Behavior - physiology
Depression
Depression - genetics
Humans
Mania
Models, Genetic
Models, Psychological
Mood
Risk-sensitivity
Risk-Taking
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Summary:It has been suggested that low mood in humans is an adaptive response to unfavourable circumstances, and that the anhedonia, pessimism and fatigue that often accompany it function to minimise risk until circumstances improve. While this is plausible, it would be possible to make the opposite prediction equally plausibly: individuals in bad circumstances should take greater risks in order to improve their situations. Here, I present a simple analytical model adapted from the risk-sensitive foraging literature. It shows that in dire states, individuals should be risk-prone, in poor states, risk-averse, and in good states, risk-prone again. I discuss how the various kinds of mood state observed in humans might be understood as mechanisms for adaptively adjusting behavioural risk-taking to the current situation.
ISSN:0022-5193
1095-8541
DOI:10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.10.033