title: Increased error-related brain activity in generalized anxiety disorder.
abstract: The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection approximately 50ms 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: Doreen M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Olvet
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hajcak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003265:Contingent Negative Variation / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult