Senior study author, Professor Muireann Irish from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre and School of Psychology in the Faculty of Science, said despite increasing evidence of motivational disturbances, no study had previously explored the capacity to experience pleasure in people with FTD.
“Much of human experience is motivated by the drive to experience pleasure but we often take this capacity for granted,” he said.
“But consider what it might be like to lose the capacity to enjoy the simple pleasures of life — this has stark implications for the wellbeing of people affected by these neurodegenerative disorders.
“Our findings also reflect the workings of a complex network of regions in the brain, signalling potential treatments.
“Future studies will be essential to address the impact of anhedonia on everyday activities, and to inform the development of targeted interventions to improve quality of life in patients and their families.”
