anhedonia
/ˌæn.hiˈdoʊ.ni.ə/
Definition
A core symptom of major depressive disorder characterized by a markedly diminished ability to feel pleasure or experience interest in normally rewarding activities.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'an-' (without) and 'hedone' (pleasure). The term was introduced into scientific literature in the late 19th century to describe the pathological loss of the capacity to enjoy life.
In the news
In this study, anhedonia is used as a clinical metric to identify and characterize the severity of depression in trial participants. It serves as a vital measure alongside other biomarkers to assess treatment efficacy.
A precision medicine trial of bupropion and sertraline for major depressive disorder using a biomarker-guided sequential multiple-assignment design
Read the full article ↗Nature