title: Increased error-related brain activity in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders.
abstract: The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential after an incorrect response that is thought to reflect activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and is often increased in patients with anxiety disorders. This study measured the ERN and correct response negativity (CRN) during an Eriksen flanker task to assess performance monitoring in 26 youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 13 youth with a non-OCD anxiety disorder consisting of either generalized anxiety disorder or separation anxiety disorder, and 27 age-matched healthy controls ranging in age from 8 to 16 years. Compared to healthy controls, ERN amplitude was significantly increased in patients with either OCD or a non-OCD anxiety disorder. There were no significant group differences in CRN amplitude. Treatment with a serotonergic antidepressant or cognitive-behavior therapy had no effect on the ERN in patients. Scores from the Child Behavior Checklist DSM-oriented anxiety problems scale had a significant correlation with ERN amplitude in all subjects. The results provide further evidence that the pathophysiology of OCD and some non-OCD anxiety disorders involves increased ACC activity and that the ERN may serve as a quantitative phenotype in genetic and longitudinal studies of these complex traits.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. melcarr@umich.edu
authors: Melisa
authors: M
authors: Carrasco
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Hong
authors: Jenna K
authors: JK
authors: Nienhuis
authors: Shannon M
authors: SM
authors: Harbin
authors: Kate D
authors: KD
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: William J
authors: WJ
authors: Gehring
authors: Gregory L
authors: GL
authors: Hanna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors