Abstract
Negative affect in healthy populations regulates the appraisal of demanding situations, which tunes subsequent effort mobilization
and adjustments in cognitive control. In the present study, we hypothesized that dysphoria in depressed individuals similarly
modulates this adaptation, possibly through a neural mechanism involving serotonergic regulation. We tested the effect of
dysphoria induced by acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) in remitted depressed patients on conflict adaptation in a Simon task.
ATD temporarily lowers the availability of the serotonin precursor L-Tryptophan and is known to increase depressive symptoms
in approximately half of remitted depressed participants. We found that depressive symptoms induced by ATD were associated
with increased conflict adaptation. Our finding extends recent observations implying an important role of affect in regulating
conflict-driven cognitive control.
and adjustments in cognitive control. In the present study, we hypothesized that dysphoria in depressed individuals similarly
modulates this adaptation, possibly through a neural mechanism involving serotonergic regulation. We tested the effect of
dysphoria induced by acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) in remitted depressed patients on conflict adaptation in a Simon task.
ATD temporarily lowers the availability of the serotonin precursor L-Tryptophan and is known to increase depressive symptoms
in approximately half of remitted depressed participants. We found that depressive symptoms induced by ATD were associated
with increased conflict adaptation. Our finding extends recent observations implying an important role of affect in regulating
conflict-driven cognitive control.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.3758/s13415-011-0078-2
- Authors
- Henk van Steenbergen, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
- Linda Booij, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Guido P. H. Band, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
- Bernhard Hommel, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
- A. J. Willem van der Does, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
- Journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
- Online ISSN 1531-135X
- Print ISSN 1530-7026