Impulsiveness and ERP components in a Go/Nogo task.
Impulsiveness has been linked to fast guesses and premature responses in reaction time tasks like the Eriksen flanker task or the Go/Nogo task. In the present study, healthy subjects without history of DSM-IV Axis I or II psychopathology were examined. Impulsiveness was determined by calculating individual reaction times (as a function of general response speed) in order to split the entire group (n = 26) in a subgroup with a more controlled response style (low impulsiveness [LI] group; n = 13) and a subgroup with a more impulsive response style (high impulsiveness [HI] group; n = 13). Subjects performed a Go/Nogo task while a multi-channel EEG was recorded. Two event-related potentials (ERP) were of special interest: the Nogo-N2 and -P3 component. HI subjects had significantly reduced (less positive) Nogo-P3 amplitudes compared to LI subjects whereas groups did not differ with regard to the Nogo-N2. These results corroborate previous findings of reduced Nogo-P3 amplitudes in samples with enhanced levels of impulsiveness. Moreover, present data suggest that there is a broader range of impulsiveness even in healthy subjects which might mask or pronounce between-group differences in clinical studies. Therefore, different levels of impulsiveness in control groups should be carefully taken into account in further ERP studies.
Ruchsow
Martin
M
Department of Psychiatry, Christophsbad Göppingen, Göppingen, Germany. martin.ruchsow@christophsbad.de
Groen
Georg
G
Kiefer
Markus
M
Hermle
Leopold
L
Spitzer
Manfred
M
Falkenstein
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015588:Observer Variation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors