Error-related brain activity as a transdiagnostic endophenotype for obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and substance use disorder. Issue 7 (12th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Riesel, Anja; Klawohn, Julia; Grützmann, Rosa; Kaufmann, Christian; Heinzel, Stephan; Bey, Katharina; Lennertz, Leonhard; Wagner, Michael; Kathmann, Norbert
• Is Part Of: Psychological medicine. Volume 49:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 1207
• Page End: 1217
• Publication Date: 2019-02-12
• Subjects: Anxiety disorders, -- depression, -- endophenotype, -- error-related negativity, -- family study, -- obsessive-compulsive disorder, -- substance use disorder, -- transdiagnostic risk marker, -- unaffected first-degree relatives; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Medicine and psychology -- Periodicals; Clinical psychology -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1017/S0033291719000199
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-2917

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Increased neural error-signals have been observed in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and inconsistently in depression. Reduced neural error-signals have been observed in substance use disorders (SUD). Thus, alterations in error-monitoring are proposed as a transdiagnostic endophenotype. To strengthen this notion, data from unaffected individuals with a family history for the respective disorders are needed. Methods: The error-related negativity (ERN) as a neural indicator of error-monitoring was measured during a flanker task from 117 OCD patients, 50 unaffected first-degree relatives of OCD patients, and 130 healthy comparison participants. Family history information indicated, that 76 healthy controls were free of a family history for psychopathology, whereas the remaining had first-degree relatives with depression ( n = 28), anxiety ( n = 27), and/or SUD ( n = 27). Results: Increased ERN amplitudes were found in OCD patients and unaffected first-degree relatives of OCD patients. In addition, unaffected first-degree relatives of individuals with anxiety disorders were also characterized by increased ERN amplitudes, whereas relatives of individuals with SUD showed reduced amplitudes. Conclusions: Alterations in neural error-signals in unaffected first-degree relatives with a family history of OCD, anxiety, or SUD support the utility of the ERN as a transdiagnostic endophenotype. Reduced neural error-signals may indicate vulnerability for under-controlled behavior and risk for substance use, whereas a harm- or error-avoidant response style and vulnerability for OCD and anxiety appears to be associated with increased ERN. This adds to findings suggesting a common neurobiological substrate across psychiatric disorders involving the anterior cingulate cortex and deficits in cognitive control.