Elsevier

Biological Psychology

Volume 85, Issue 3, December 2010, Pages 472-480
Biological Psychology

Increased error-related brain activity in generalized anxiety disorder

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.09.011Get rights and content

Abstract

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection approximately 50 ms following an erroneous response, and is thought to reflect activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region of the medial prefrontal cortex implicated in the pathophysiology of a number of affective disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Pathological worry, the hallmark of GAD, has been linked to increased error-related brain activity, although no studies to date have examined the ERN among a clinical GAD sample. The present study measured electrocortical indices of error monitoring in a well-characterized, medication-free GAD sample. Brain activity was recorded in 17 GAD and 24 control subjects. The GAD group was characterized by a larger ERN and an increased difference between error and correct trials; a larger ERN was associated with increased self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms. Individuals with GAD have exaggerated early neural responses to errors, consistent with fMRI work implicating ACC abnormalities in GAD.

Research highlights

▶ Enhanced ERN demonstrated in clinical sample of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). ▶ Larger ERN associated with increased self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. ▶ Effect specific to early indices of error-monitoring.

Section snippets

Participant recruitment and screening

Subsequent to approval by the institutional review board at Stony Brook University, participants were recruited from the community via electronic and print advertisements. All potential participants were phone-screened prior to their arrival, in order to rule out current anti-depressant medication usage and history of traumatic brain injury or systemic or neurological illness. In addition, the phone screen consisted of a modified version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview

Behavioral data

Accuracy and RT data are presented in Table 2. Reaction time varied significantly as a function of accuracy (F(1, 37) = 86.40, p < .001; ηp2=.70; observed power = 1.00), such that participants were faster on error (M = 340.76, SD = 55.76) than correct trials (M = 425.56, SD = 52.90). Males and females did not differ in RT (F(1,37) < 1; ηp2=.000; observed power = .05), nor did the effect of gender vary by Trial Type (F(1,37) = 3.39, p = .08; ηp2=.08; observed power = .43), or group type (F(1,37) = 1.43, p = .24; ηp2=.04;

Discussion

Consistent with work in other anxiety disorders (Endrass et al., 2008, Endrass et al., 2010, Gehring et al., 2000, Hajcak et al., 2008, Johannes et al., 2001, Stern et al., 2010), individuals with GAD were characterized by increased error-related brain activity. More specifically, both an enhanced ERN and a greater difference between the ERN and the CRN distinguished the GAD from the HC group. Across both groups, greater continuous measures of anxious distress were associated with a larger ERN.

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