Addiction as a brain disease? A meta-regression comparison of error-related brain potentials between addiction and neurological diseases. (May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Yang; Masina, Fabio; Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Pezzetta, Rachele
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 148(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-05
• Subjects: Brain-disease model -- Addiction -- Neurological disorders -- ERN -- Pe -- Meta-analysis; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Abstract: The notion that addiction is a "brain disorder" is widespread. However, there is a lack of evidence on the degree of disorder in terms of error processing in addiction. The present meta-analysis aimed at shedding light on this by comparing error-processes with populations with well-recognized brain disorders. We included 17 addiction and 32 neurological disorder studies that compared error-related negativity (ERN) or error positivity (Pe) amplitudes/latencies between experimental and healthy-control groups. Meta-regression analyses were performed for the intergroup comparison and other moderators. Both diagnoses were accompanied by a diminished ERN amplitude, although the degree of impairment was marginally larger in neurological disorders. Neurological disorders presented shorter ERN latencies than addiction when compared with controls. The two groups did not differ in Pe amplitude/latency. Except for a reduced ERN amplitude found along with aging, no other moderator contributed significantly to divergent findings about these four ERP indexes. The results support the brain disease model of addiction, while stressing the importance of quantifying the degrees of brain dysfunctions as a next step. Highlights: Addiction and neurological disorders are both associated with lower ERN amplitude. The ERN amplitude alternation is marginally larger in neurological disorders. Neurological disorders present shorter ERN latency than addiction. The two diagnoses do not differ in Pe amplitude and Pe latency. The two diagnoses may represent nuances within a spectrum of brain pathology.