title: Happy and less inhibited? Effects of positive mood on inhibitory control during an antisaccade task revealed using topographic evoked potential mapping.
abstract: Affective states might influence inhibitory control, a cognitive process fundamental for goal adaptive behavior. Here, we recorded high-density EEG while participants performed an antisaccade task, after the induction of a happy (n=20) or neutral (n=20) mood, to compare the same inhibition-related processes across these two affective contexts. Topographical evoked potential mapping methods were used to characterize changes in the electric field depending on mood and saccade type (pro vs. anti) concurrently. Results showed that prior to target onset, the CNV component was enhanced for anti- compared to prosaccades, selectively in the neutral mood group. Following target onset, the topography of the N2 was more strongly expressed in the happy mood group, and was also altered by saccade type. The subsequent P3 components were not modulated by mood. We discuss these new findings in light of recent neurobiological and neuropsychological models that posit that positive affect dynamically changes cognitive control.
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium. Electronic address: Naomi.vanlessen@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanlessen
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Raedt
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Psychopathology & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pourtois
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D012438:Saccades; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CNV; Cognitive control; ERP; Inhibition; N2; Positive mood