title: An event-related potential study of attention deficits in posttraumatic stress disorder during auditory and visual Go/NoGo continuous performance tasks.
abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by disturbances in attention, such as increased arousal and hypervigilance. This study examined the event-related potential (ERP) P3 component to target detection (Go), response inhibition (NoGo) and irrelevant nontarget stimuli during auditory and visual A-X continuous performance tasks. NoGo N2 amplitude effects were also analyzed. Participants were 23 Vietnam veterans with PTSD and 13 civilian controls. No group differences were present for N2 or P3 amplitude to Go and NoGo stimuli. The PTSD group, however, had longer P3 latency to NoGo stimuli than controls, regardless of modality. The PTSD group also had greater frontal P3 amplitude to irrelevant nontarget stimuli than controls. Significant P3 amplitude and latency findings were associated with higher hyperarousal and reexperiencing scores from the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. The findings suggest that attentional problems in PTSD are related to slowed central processing when response inhibition is required, and to an impaired ability to screen irrelevant information. This study provides further evidence that the attentional impairments in PTSD are not confined to trauma-related stimuli. Heightened arousal appears to enhance the attentional dysregulation seen in PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences, Department of Neurology/The Jacobs Neurological Institute, University at Buffalo, State University of New York School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA. shucard@buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shucard
authors.forename: Danielle C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szymanski
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014728:Veterans
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents