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Dell'Acqua C, Hajcak G, Amir N, Santopetro NJ, Brush CJ, Meyer A. Error-related brain activity: A time-domain and time-frequency investigation in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14216. [PMID: 36332634 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Increased error-related negativity (ERN), a measure of error monitoring, has been suggested as a biomarker of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Additional insight into error monitoring is possible using time-frequency decomposition of electroencephalographic (EEG) data, as it allows disentangling the brain's parallel processing of information. Greater error-related theta is thought to reflect an error detection signal, while delta activity may reflect more elaborative post-detection processes (i.e., strategic adjustments). Recent investigations show that decreased error-related alpha may index attentional engagement following errors; additionally, increases and decreases in error-related beta could reflect motor inhibition and motor preparation, respectively. However, time-frequency dynamics of error monitoring in OCD are largely unknown. The present study examined time-frequency theta, delta, alpha and beta power in early adolescents with OCD using a data-driven, cluster-based approach. The aim was to explore electrocortical measures of error monitoring in early adolescents with (n = 27, 15 females) and without OCD (n = 27, 14 females) during an arrowhead version of the flanker task while EEG activity was recorded. Results indicated that the OCD group was characterized by increased ERN and error-related theta, as well as reduced error-related beta power decrease (i.e., greater power) compared to participants without OCD. Greater error-related beta explained variance in OCD over and above the ERN and error-related theta. By examining separate time-frequency measures, the present study provides novel insights into the dynamics of error monitoring, suggesting that pediatric OCD may be characterized by enhanced error monitoring (i.e., greater theta power) and post-error inhibition (i.e., reduced beta power decrease).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Dell'Acqua
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Nader Amir
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Brush
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
- Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Alexandria Meyer
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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Riesel A, Härpfer K, Thoma L, Kathmann N, Klawohn J. Associations of neural error-processing with symptoms and traits in a dimensional sample recruited across the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14164. [PMID: 36030541 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The error-related negativity (ERN), a neural response to errors, has been associated with several forms of psychopathology and assumed to represent a neural risk marker for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders. Yet, it is still unknown which specific symptoms or traits best explain ERN variation. This study investigated performance-monitoring in participants (N = 100) recruited across a spectrum of obsessive-compulsive characteristics (n = 26 patients with OCD; n = 74 healthy participants including n = 24 with low, n = 24 with medium, and n = 26 with high OC-characteristics). Several compulsivity- and anxiety-associated characteristics were assessed and submitted to exploratory principal axis factor analysis. Associations of raw measures and derived factors with ERN and correct-related negativity (CRN) were examined. Patients with OCD showed increased ERN amplitudes compared to healthy participants. The ERN was associated with a variety of traits related to anxiety and negative affect. Factor analysis results revealed a most prominent association of the ERN with a composite measure of anxiety and neuroticism, whereas the CRN was specifically associated with compulsivity. Results support differential associations for the ERN and CRN and demonstrate that a dimensional recruitment approach and use of composite measures can improve our understanding of characteristics underlying variation in neural performance monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Riesel
- Department of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kai Härpfer
- Department of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Thoma
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Kathmann
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Klawohn
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Medicine, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Dell'Acqua C, Hajcak G, Amir N, Santopetro NJ, Brush CJ, Meyer A. Error-related brain activity in pediatric major depressive disorder: An ERP and time-frequency investigation. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 184:100-109. [PMID: 36638913 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The error-related negativity (ERN) reflects individual differences in error monitoring. However, findings on the ERN in adult and adolescent depression have been inconsistent. Analyzing electroencephalographic (EEG) data in both the time- and time-frequency domain can be useful to better quantify neural response to errors. The present study aimed at examining electrocortical measures of error monitoring in early adolescents with and without depression. METHOD EEG activity was collected during an arrowhead version of the flanker task in 29 (25 females) early adolescents with depression and 34 without MDD (29 females). RESULTS The depression group showed reduced ERN amplitude, reduced error-related theta power and increased error-related beta power compared to the control group. When all variables that related to MDD diagnosis were considered simultaneously, both theta and beta power, but not the ERN, were independently related to an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with depression. CONCLUSIONS By examining both time-domain and separate time-frequency measures, the present study provided novel evidence on error monitoring alterations in youth depression, suggesting that depression during adolescence may be characterized by reduced error monitoring (i.e., reduced ERN and error-related theta) and post-error inhibition (i.e., greater error-related beta power). These results support that time-frequency measures might be better suited for examining error-related neural activity in MDD relative to time-domain measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Dell'Acqua
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA; Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - G Hajcak
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
| | - N Amir
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
| | - N J Santopetro
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
| | - C J Brush
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA; Department of Movement Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - A Meyer
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
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4
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Li G, Cai X, Yang Q, Cui Q, Huang L, Jing X, Wang Y. A review of attentional bias modification trainings for depression. CNS Neurosci Ther 2022; 29:789-803. [PMID: 36377495 PMCID: PMC9928546 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative attentional bias is a basic character of depression. The attentional bias modification training (ABMT), being a highly promising and easy-to-use depression intervention technique, has attracted much attention to alleviate depressive symptoms in recent years. However, the effectiveness of ABMT programs was mixed across studies, since it remained unclear the underlying mechanisms of ABMT on alleviating depressive symptoms. We systematically analyzed the main ABMT paradigms to clarify possible mechanisms of effective training and reasons of ineffective training. Valid ABMT programs might alleviate depressive symptoms through regulating self-related rumination or two subcomponents of attentional bias: facilitated attention and impaired attentional disengagement. The reasons for the invalidity of ABMT mainly included the suboptimal design of training procedures, mixed effects of participants' personal characteristics, and the unclear relationship between attentional bias and depression. The ABMT is promising for alleviating depressive symptoms, but training procedures are required to be improved to obtain stable training effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Li
- Psychological Research and Counseling CenterSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengduChina,Institute of Brain and Psychological SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
| | - Xueli Cai
- Psychological Research and Counseling CenterSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengduChina
| | - Qian Yang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
| | - Qian Cui
- School of Public Affairs and AdministrationUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Lihui Huang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
| | - Xiujuan Jing
- Tianfu College of Southwestern University of Finance and EconomicsChengduChina
| | - Yifeng Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological SciencesSichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
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Schroder HS, Ip KI, Hruschak JL, Horbatch F, Hall M, Liu Y, Mannella K, Muzik M, Rosenblum KL, Moser JS, Fitzgerald KD. Targeting cognitive control to reduce anxiety in very young children: A proof of concept study. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:646-656. [PMID: 35708131 DOI: 10.1002/da.23270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Underdeveloped cognitive control (CC)-the capacity to flexibly adjust to changing environments-may predispose some children to early onset anxiety disorders and represents a promising intervention target. The current study established and pilot-tested "Camp Kidpower"-a novel group-based, interactive CC training intervention-and assessed its impacts on behavioral and neurophysiological indices of CC among preschool children with elevated anxiety symptoms. METHODS Forty-four anxious children (4-6 years) were enrolled in Camp Kidpower, delivered in four sessions over 10 days. Before and after camp, children's capacity for CC was measured using well-validated, non-trained behavioral tasks and error-related negativity (ERN). Child anxiety symptoms were measured by parent report on the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale. RESULTS Thirty-two children completed the study, as defined by completion of pre- and follow-up assessments and at least three camp sessions. From baseline to after camp, performance on behavioral tests of CC improved, ERN amplitude increased, and anxiety symptoms decreased. CONCLUSION Results provide initial evidence that play-based cognitive training targeted to behavioral and brain markers of CC reduces anxiety in preschoolers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans S Schroder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ka I Ip
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jessica L Hruschak
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Faith Horbatch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Melissa Hall
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Yanni Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kristin Mannella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Maria Muzik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kate L Rosenblum
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jason S Moser
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Kate D Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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Suor JH, Calentino AE, Granros M, Burkhouse KL. Maternal Error-Related Negativity Relationship With Offspring Error-Related Negativity and Negative Parenting Styles: A Novel Model of Internalizing Psychopathology Risk. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2022; 7:435-442. [PMID: 34688921 PMCID: PMC8995320 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enhanced error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential component reflecting neural sensitivity to errors and threat, has been theorized to represent an endophenotype of internalizing psychopathologies (IPs). We tested whether intergenerational transmission of ERN patterns may confer risk for internalizing symptoms. We examined associations among maternal and offspring ERN and offspring internalizing symptoms. Given the role of parenting in IP risk, we also explored how maternal negative parenting styles related to maternal ERN and offspring internalizing symptoms. METHODS Participants included 117 biological mother-child dyads (ages 9-16 years, 70.9% female). Of these, 72 mothers had a history of major depression (32 with lifetime anxiety), and 45 had no history of psychiatric illness. Dyads completed psychiatric interviews, parenting questionnaires, and a flanker task to elicit the ERN while an electroencephalogram was recorded. RESULTS Path analyses revealed that maternal ERN was significantly associated with enhanced offspring ERN and greater negative parenting styles. Enhanced offspring ERN and maternal negative parenting styles were significantly related to greater internalizing symptoms in offspring. Maternal ERN had a significant indirect effect on offspring internalizing symptoms through offspring ERN and maternal negative parenting styles, above the effects of self-reported maternal internalizing symptoms. Maternal IP history did not moderate pathways. CONCLUSIONS Study findings suggest that enhanced maternal ERN is indirectly associated with greater offspring internalizing symptoms through its relationship to offspring ERN and negative parenting styles. Future longitudinal work is needed to evaluate the temporal timing and directionality of these tested pathways and their clinical implications for the prevention of IPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Suor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
| | - Alison E Calentino
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Maria Granros
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Katie L Burkhouse
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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7
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Härpfer K, Carsten HP, Löwisch K, Westermann N, Riesel A. Disentangling the effects of trait and state worry on error-related brain activity: Results from a randomized controlled trial using worry manipulations. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14055. [PMID: 35353909 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Enhanced amplitudes of the error-related negativity (ERN) have been suggested to be a transdiagnostic neural risk marker for internalizing psychopathology. Previous studies propose worry to be an underlying mechanism driving the association between enhanced ERN and anxiety. The present preregistered study focused on disentangling possible effects of trait and state worry on the ERN by utilizing a cross sectional observational and a longitudinal randomized controlled experimental design. To this end, we examined the ERN of n = 90 students during a flanker task (T0), which were then randomly assigned to one of three groups (worry induction, worry reduction, passive control group). Following the intervention, participants performed another flanker task (T1) to determine potential alterations of their ERN. Manipulation checks revealed that compared to the control group, state worry increased in the induction but also in the reduction group. ERN amplitudes did not vary as a function of state worry. An association of trait worry with larger ERN amplitudes was only observed in females. Furthermore, we found larger ERN amplitudes in participants with a current or lifetime diagnosis of internalizing disorders. In summary, our findings suggest that the ERN seems to be insensitive to variations in state worry, but that an elevated ERN is associated with the trait-like tendency to worry and internalizing psychopathology, which is consistent with the notion that the ERN likely represents a trait-like neural risk associated with anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Härpfer
- Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Kim Löwisch
- Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nele Westermann
- Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Riesel
- Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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8
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Meyer A. On the relationship between the error-related negativity and anxiety in children and adolescents: From a neural marker to a novel target for intervention. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14050. [PMID: 35324015 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The current review focuses on our work on the relationship between the error-related negativity (i.e., ERN) and anxiety in children and adolescents. The ERN is an event-related potential (ERP) that appears as a negative deflection in the ERP waveform when individuals make errors and has been found to be increased in anxious individuals. We, and others, have extended this work into developmental populations, finding that the ERN can be measured reliably in children and that the ERN is increased among clinically anxious youth. Furthermore, we have found that the ERN predicts risk for increases in anxiety across development, among healthy and clinically anxious children. We have done work to elucidate what psychological phenomena the increased ERN among anxious children may reflect by creating a self-report measure of error sensitivity (i.e., the Child Error Sensitivity Index) that relates to the ERN. Moreover, we review our work on parenting and the ERN, which suggests that harsh or critical parenting styles may potentiate the ERN in offspring. And, building on these findings, we discuss our recent work to develop novel, computerized intervention strategies to reduce the ERN and thereby risk for anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria Meyer
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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9
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Event-related potential studies of emotion regulation: A review of recent progress and future directions. Int J Psychophysiol 2022; 176:73-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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10
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Balzus L, Klawohn J, Elsner B, Schmidt S, Brandt SA, Kathmann N. Non-invasive brain stimulation modulates neural correlates of performance monitoring in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. NEUROIMAGE: CLINICAL 2022; 35:103113. [PMID: 35870380 PMCID: PMC9421486 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Effects of tDCS on performance monitoring examined in OCD and healthy individuals. A preregistered, randomized, sham-controlled tDCS–EEG study was conducted. Cathodal tDCS over the pre-SMA reduced the error-related negativity (ERN). Correct-response negativity was enhanced, error positivity reduced by cathodal tDCS. The findings substantiate the role of the ERN as a target for new interventions.
Overactive performance monitoring, as reflected by enhanced neural responses to errors (the error-related negativity, ERN), is considered a biomarker for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and may be a promising target for novel treatment approaches. Prior research suggests that non-invasive brain stimulation with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may reduce the ERN in healthy individuals, yet no study has investigated its efficacy in attenuating the ERN in OCD. In this preregistered, randomized, sham-controlled, crossover study, we investigated effects of tDCS on performance monitoring in patients with OCD (n = 28) and healthy individuals (n = 28). Cathodal and sham tDCS was applied over the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA) in two sessions, each followed by electroencephalogram recording during a flanker task. Cathodal tDCS reduced the ERN amplitude compared to sham tDCS, albeit this effect was only marginally significant (p = .052; mean difference: 0.86 μV). Additionally, cathodal tDCS reduced the correct-response negativity and increased the error positivity. These neural modulations were not accompanied by behavioral changes. Moreover, we found no evidence that the tDCS effect was more pronounced in the patient group. In summary, our findings indicate that tDCS over the pre-SMA modulates neural correlates of performance monitoring across groups. Therefore, this study represents a valuable starting point for future research to determine whether repeated tDCS application induces a more pronounced ERN attenuation and normalizes aberrant performance monitoring in the long term, thereby potentially alleviating obsessive-compulsive symptoms and providing a psychophysiological intervention strategy for individuals who do not benefit sufficiently from existing interventions.
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11
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Ahmari SE, Rauch SL. The prefrontal cortex and OCD. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:211-224. [PMID: 34400778 PMCID: PMC8617188 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01130-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a highly prevalent and severe neuropsychiatric disorder, with an incidence of 1.5-3% worldwide. However, despite the clear public health burden of OCD and relatively well-defined symptom criteria, effective treatments are still limited, spotlighting the need for investigation of the neural substrates of the disorder. Human neuroimaging studies have consistently highlighted abnormal activity patterns in prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions and connected circuits in OCD during both symptom provocation and performance of neurocognitive tasks. Because of recent technical advances, these findings can now be leveraged to develop novel targeted interventions. Here we will highlight current theories regarding the role of the prefrontal cortex in the generation of OCD symptoms, discuss ways in which this knowledge can be used to improve treatments for this often disabling illness, and lay out challenges in the field for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne E Ahmari
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Scott L Rauch
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Riesel A, Härpfer K, Kathmann N, Klawohn J. In the Face of Potential Harm: The Predictive Validity of Neural Correlates of Performance Monitoring for Perceived Risk, Stress, and Internalizing Psychopathology During the COVID-19 Pandemic. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 1:300-309. [PMID: 34877565 PMCID: PMC8639181 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic is a major life stressor posing serious threats not only to physical but also to mental health. To better understand mechanisms of vulnerability and identify individuals at risk for psychopathological symptoms in response to stressors is critical for prevention and intervention. The error-related negativity (ERN) has been discussed as a neural risk marker for psychopathology, and this study examined its predictive validity for perceived risk, stress, and psychopathological symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A total of 113 individuals who had participated as healthy control participants in previous electroencephalography studies (2014–2019) completed a follow-up online survey during the first COVID-19 wave in Germany. Associations of pre-pandemic ERN and correct-response negativity (CRN) with perceived risk regarding COVID-19 infection, stress, and internalizing symptoms during the pandemic were examined using mediation models. Results Pre-pandemic ERN and CRN were associated with increased perceived risk regarding a COVID-19 infection. Via this perceived risk, the ERN and CRN were associated with increased stress during the pandemic. Furthermore, risk perception and stress mediated indirect effects of ERN and CRN on internalizing psychopathology, including anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, while controlling for the effects of pre-pandemic symptom levels. Conclusions In summary, heightened pre-pandemic performance monitoring showed indirect associations with increases in psychopathological symptoms during the first COVID-19 wave via effects on perceived COVID-19 risk and stress. These results further strengthen the notion of performance monitoring event-related potentials as transdiagnostic neural risk markers and highlight the relevance of stress as a catalyst for symptom development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Riesel
- Department of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kai Härpfer
- Department of Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Norbert Kathmann
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Klawohn
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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13
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No change in electrocortical measures of performance monitoring in high trait anxious individuals following multi-session attention bias modification training. NEUROIMAGE: REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2021.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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14
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Umemoto A, Cole SL, Allison GO, Dolan S, Lazarov A, Auerbach RP, Schneier F. Neurophysiological predictors of gaze-contingent music reward therapy among adults with social anxiety disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 143:155-162. [PMID: 34487992 PMCID: PMC8557124 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is associated with fear of negative evaluation and heightened performance monitoring. The best-established treatments help only a subset of patients, and there are no well-established predictors of treatment response. The current study investigated whether individual differences in processing errors might predict response to gaze-contingent music reward therapy (GC-MRT). At baseline, healthy control subjects (HC; n = 20) and adults with SAD (n = 29), ages 19-43 years, completed the Flanker Task while electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded. SAD participants then received up to 12 sessions over 8 weeks of GC-MRT, designed to train participants' attention away from threatening and toward neutral faces. Clinical assessments were completed 9- (post-treatment) and 20-weeks (follow-up) after initiating the treatment. At baseline, compared to HC, SAD performed the task more accurately and exhibited increased error-related negativity (ERN) and delta power to error commission. After controlling for age and baseline symptoms, more negative ERN and increased frontal midline theta (FMT) predicted reduced self-reported social anxiety symptoms at post-treatment, and FMT also predicted clinician-rated and self-reported symptom reduction at the follow-up assessment. Hypervigilance to error is characteristic of SAD and warrants further research as a predictor of treatment response for GC-MRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akina Umemoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sally L Cole
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sarah Dolan
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amit Lazarov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Randy P Auerbach
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Division of Clinical Developmental Neuroscience, Sackler Institute, USA
| | - Franklin Schneier
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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15
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Bellato A, Norman L, Idrees I, Ogawa CY, Waitt A, Zuccolo PF, Tye C, Radua J, Groom MJ, Shephard E. A systematic review and meta-analysis of altered electrophysiological markers of performance monitoring in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:964-987. [PMID: 34687698 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Altered performance monitoring is implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring (error-related negativity, ERN; error positivity, Pe; feedback-related negativity, FRN; feedback-P3) in individuals with OCD, GTS, ADHD or autism compared to control participants, or associations between correlates and symptoms/traits of these conditions. Meta-analyses on 97 studies (5890 participants) showed increased ERN in OCD (Hedge's g = 0.54[CIs:0.44,0.65]) and GTS (g = 0.99[CIs:0.05,1.93]). OCD also showed increased Pe (g = 0.51[CIs:0.21,0.81]) and FRN (g = 0.50[CIs:0.26,0.73]). ADHD and autism showed reduced ERN (ADHD: g=-0.47[CIs:-0.67,-0.26]; autism: g=-0.61[CIs:-1.10,-0.13]). ADHD also showed reduced Pe (g=-0.50[CIs:-0.69,-0.32]). These findings suggest overlap in electrophysiological markers of performance monitoring alterations in four common neurodevelopmental conditions, with increased amplitudes of the markers in OCD and GTS and decreased amplitudes in ADHD and autism. Implications of these findings in terms of shared and distinct performance monitoring alterations across these neurodevelopmental conditions are discussed. PROSPERO pre-registration code: CRD42019134612.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Bellato
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK; Academic Unit of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Luke Norman
- Section on Neurobehavioral and Clinical Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Iman Idrees
- Academic Unit of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Carolina Y Ogawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alice Waitt
- Academic Unit of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Pedro F Zuccolo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Charlotte Tye
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joaquim Radua
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK; Imaging of Mood- and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Madeleine J Groom
- Academic Unit of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Elizabeth Shephard
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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16
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Tan PZ, Rozenman M, Chang SW, Jurgiel J, Truong HV, Piacentini J, Loo SK. The ERN as a neural index of changes in performance monitoring following attention training in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Biol Psychol 2021; 166:108206. [PMID: 34662675 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Evidence of associations between obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and alterations in neural indices of performance monitoring, i.e., elevated neural activity following errors, have accelerated interest in the error-related negativity (ERN) as a biomarker for pediatric OCD. The study investigates the degree to which attention bias training is linked to changes in neural measures of performance monitoring (ERN, correct response negativity or CRN) and whether pre-to-post training changes in these neural indices are associated with symptom changes in youth with OCD. The sample included 36 youth (8-17 years) diagnosed with OCD who completed a 12-session attention training program and pre- and post-training EEG assessment of performance monitoring using cognitive and emotional flanker tasks. The emotional flanker task was individualized to each participant's negative ratings of stimuli at pre-treatment to enhance salience of threat-related stimuli across youth. Results indicated that unlike participants who received attentional control protocol (CON), those who received attentional bias modification protocol (ABM) showed significant attenuations in neural activity following erroneous and correct responses in the emotional flanker task. The ERN amplitude during the cognitive flanker task was unchanged in both ABM and CON groups. Attenuations in the ERN were also linked to decreases in social anxiety and depressive symptoms. Findings highlight the relevance of including emotionally-salient tasks when investigating potential neural mechanisms of treatments and suggest that alterations in neural processes underlying performance monitoring can be targeted via attention training programs in pediatric OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Z Tan
- Department of Mental Health, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA; Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | | | - Susanna W Chang
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Joseph Jurgiel
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Holly V Truong
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - John Piacentini
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Sandra K Loo
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
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17
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Michael JA, Wang M, Kaur M, Fitzgerald PB, Fitzgibbon BM, Hoy KE. EEG correlates of attentional control in anxiety disorders: A systematic review of error-related negativity and correct-response negativity findings. J Affect Disord 2021; 291:140-153. [PMID: 34038831 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and cause substantial personal, social and economic burden. Altered attentional control has been shown to be present across anxiety disorders and is associated with specific changes in brain activity which can be recorded by electroencephalogram (EEG). These include changes in the EEG markers of error-related negativity (ERN) and correct-response negativity (CRN), both believed to reflect response monitoring and attentional control pathophysiology in anxiety. The aim of this review was to systematically assess the research on ERN and CRN in attentional control in individuals with clinical anxiety and healthy controls, across emotional and non-emotional attentional control. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted for studies published prior to October 22nd, 2020. Details of the protocol for this systematic review were registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019144885). RESULTS 66 studies had their data extracted. All 66 studies measured ERN, with 85% finding significantly increased ERN amplitudes associated with clinical anxiety. Only 44 of the extracted studies analysed CRN and only ~20% of these found significant changes in CRN amplitude associated with individuals with clinical anxiety. LIMITATIONS There were several anxiety disorders that had either limited literature (i.e. specific phobia, separation anxiety disorder or agoraphobia) or nil literature (i.e. selective mutism) available. No extracted studies included samples of older adults (i.e. aged 60+ years), and only six extracted studies included measures of emotional attentional control. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate the promising utility of ERN of attentional control as a robust, transdiagnostic trait marker of clinical anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Michael
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Michael Wang
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia
| | - Manreena Kaur
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bernadette M Fitzgibbon
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate E Hoy
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, 888 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Riesel A, Endrass T, Weinberg A. Biomarkers of mental disorders: Psychophysiological measures as indicators of mechanisms, risk, and outcome prediction. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 168:21-26. [PMID: 34364039 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Riesel
- University of Hamburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Germany.
| | - Tanja Endrass
- Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Addiction Research, Germany
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19
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Morales S, Zeytinoglu S, Buzzell GA, Valadez EA, Troller-Renfree SV, Bowers ME, Chronis-Tuscano A, Degnan KA, Almas AN, Pine DS, Fox NA. Neurocognitive Profiles in Adolescence Predict Subsequent Anxiety Trajectories During the COVID-19 Pandemic. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 7:192-200. [PMID: 34144216 PMCID: PMC8674375 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has created increased stress and anxiety for many; however, some individuals are particularly prone to heightened anxiety. It is unclear if and how prestress neurocognitive factors moderate risk for anxiety during high-stress situations. Enhanced error monitoring and a cognitive control strategy of more instantaneous (reactive) control have both been independently related to anxiety. We examined if a specific neurocognitive profile characterized by heightened error monitoring and a more reactive cognitive control strategy in adolescence predicts young adults’ anxiety trajectories across 3 early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods As part of a longitudinal study (N = 291), data were acquired in adolescence (13 years) on error monitoring (n = 124) and cognitive control strategy (n = 119). In young adulthood (18 years), anxiety was assessed three times during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 162). Results On average, participants experienced greater anxiety in the first COVID-19 pandemic assessment, then anxiety decreased in the following months. Error monitoring and cognitive control strategy interacted to predict anxiety trajectories, such that among adolescents with an increased reliance on reactive control, error monitoring predicted greater anxiety in the first assessment but greater decreases the following months as stay-at-home orders were lifted and families adapted to the restrictions. Conclusions Results suggest that neurocognitive profiles in adolescence predict young adults’ anxiety responses during a highly stressful period, such as the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings have implications for the early identification of individuals at greater risk for anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Morales
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland.
| | - Selin Zeytinoglu
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | - George A Buzzell
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland; Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
| | - Emilio A Valadez
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | - Sonya V Troller-Renfree
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Maureen E Bowers
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | | | - Kathryn A Degnan
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C
| | - Alisa N Almas
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
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20
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Shephard E, Batistuzzo MC, Hoexter MQ, Stern ER, Zuccolo PF, Ogawa CY, Silva RM, Brunoni AR, Costa DL, Doretto V, Saraiva L, Cappi C, Shavitt RG, Simpson HB, van den Heuvel OA, Miguel EC. Neurocircuit models of obsessive-compulsive disorder: limitations and future directions for research. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PSIQUIATRIA 2021; 44:187-200. [PMID: 35617698 PMCID: PMC9041967 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2020-1709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Shephard
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, UK
| | - Marcelo C. Batistuzzo
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil; Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Emily R. Stern
- The New York University School of Medicine, USA; Orangeburg, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carolina Cappi
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA
| | | | - H. Blair Simpson
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), USA; CUIMC, USA
| | - Odile A. van den Heuvel
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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21
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Carlson JM. A systematic review of event-related potentials as outcome measures of attention bias modification. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13801. [PMID: 33682161 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Attention bias modification (ABM) was initially developed with the goal of reducing attentional bias to threat-and subsequently anxious symptoms-in individuals with heightened anxiety. Although controversial, ABM appears to be generally effective in achieving this goal. Yet, the primary outcome measure of ABM (i.e., the reaction time-based differences score) has poor reliability and temporal resolution, which limits the inferences that can be drawn. In contrast, event-related potentials (ERPs) have superior reliability as well as temporal resolution and may therefore be better outcome measures of ABM. In this review, I systematically assess the research using ERPs as outcome measures in ABM protocols. I focus on the extent to which the ERPs modified by ABM represent earlier or later stages of information processing. In addition, I explore the extent to which ABM produces near and/or far transfer of learning effects on ERP measures. The reviewed literature suggests that ERPs are promising outcome measures of ABM. ABM modulates the effects of affective stimuli on posterior visually evoked ERPs (i.e., P1) as well as ERPs at anterior electrodes (i.e., P2, N2, and ERN). Based on the state of the field, several directions for future research are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Carlson
- Department of Psychological Science, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI, USA
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