The study found that when the people at risk for depression lost money unexpectedly, they had greater activation in the orbitofrontal cortex, which means losing had a greater impact on their motivation circuit. And when these subjects won money unexpectedly, they had reduced activation of the hippocampus.32 Since the hippocampus is essential for memory, this reduced activity means that they’re less likely to remember winning. Thus both their memories and their future actions are slightly altered by their risk for depression, which creates the potential for a downward spiral.
