Journal
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 39-46Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/da.22035
Keywords
anxiety disorder; relatives; error-related negativity; response monitoring; flanker task; medial frontal cortex; biomarker
Categories
Funding
- National Institute of Mental Health [R01 MH086321, F31 MH086273, K23 MH082176]
- International OCD Foundation
- Dana Foundation
- National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Young Investigator Award
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Background The pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves increased activity in cortico-striatal circuits connecting the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with other brain regions. The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential following an erroneous response and is thought to reflect ACC activity. This study was done to assess the ERN as a biomarker for OCD by comparing ERN amplitudes in pediatric OCD patients, unaffected siblings of pediatric OCD patients, and healthy controls. Methods The ERN and correct response negativity (CRN) were measured during an Eriksen flanker task to assess performance monitoring in 40 youth with a lifetime diagnosis of OCD, 19 unaffected siblings of OCD patients, and 40 unrelated healthy comparison subjects ranging in age from 10 to 17 years. ERN and CRN amplitudes were compared between groups using linear regression by the generalized estimating equation method to account for correlated data. Results Compared to healthy controls, ERN amplitude was significantly increased in both pediatric OCD patients and unaffected siblings. There were no significant group differences in CRN amplitude. ERN amplitude in patients was unrelated to OCD symptom severity, current diagnostic status, or treatment effects. Conclusions Increased error-related brain potentials were observed not only in pediatric OCD patients but also in unaffected siblings. The results provide evidence that enhanced error-related brain activity may serve as a biomarker for OCD in youth that is independent of the presence of clinical symptoms. The ERN may be a useful quantitative phenotype in genetic studies of OCD. Depression and Anxiety 30: 39-46, 2013. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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