Actions speak louder than words: Enhanced action tendencies in obsessive-compulsive disorder: An ERP study

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S89-S89
Author(s):  
A. Dayan Riva ◽  
A. Berger ◽  
G. Anholt

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repeated thoughts and behaviors. Several studies have detected deficient response inhibition ability in individuals with OCD, leading researchers to suggest this deficit as an endophenotype of OCD. However, other researchers maintain that the effect size of this deficit is modest and that it lacks clinical significance. The current investigation examines a potential alternative explanation for difficulties in response inhibition, namely enhanced action tendencies in response to stimuli. Therefore, early processes of motor response preparation preceding action performance (or inhibition) were studied with the event-related potential (ERP) component of readiness potential (RP). RP measures brain reactions related to motor activity in response to external stimuli. ERPs were recorded while 15 participants with OCD and 16 healthy controls performed a variation of a go/no-go task and a stop-signal task using schematic faces (angry and neutral). The OCD group presented with a greater RP slope gradient and amplitude over bilateral parietal areas corresponding to the motor cortex. The amplitude effect was further enhanced under negative valence, compared with the neutral condition. Differences in RP between the OCD and control groups remained significant when controlling for levels of trait anxiety. Results support the hypothesis that a stronger readiness for action might characterize OCD, especially in the presence of threatening stimuli. This finding, specific to OCD and not to anxiety symptoms, may underlie habitual tendencies in OCD. This study suggests that early-stages of motor preparation might be important to the etiology and maintenance of OCD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendall Mar ◽  
Parker Townes ◽  
Petros Pechlivanoglou ◽  
Paul Arnold ◽  
Russell James Schachar

This systematic review and meta-analysis updates evidence pertaining to deficient response inhibition in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as measured by the stop-signal task (SST). We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature to compare response inhibition in patients with OCD and healthy controls, meta-regressions to determine relative influences of age and sex on response inhibition impairment, and a risk of bias assessment for included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Stop-signal reaction time (SSRT), which estimates the latency of the stopping process deficit, was significantly longer in OCD samples than in controls, reflecting inferior inhibitory control (Raw mean difference = 23.43ms; p = <0.001; 95% CI = [17.42, 29.45]). We did not observe differences in mean reaction time (MRT) in OCD compared to controls (Raw mean difference = 2.51ms; p = 0.755; 95% CI = [-13.27, 18.30]). Age impacted effect size of SSRT, indicating a greater deficit in older patients than younger ones. We did not observe a significant effect of sex on SSRT or MRT scores.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adi Dayan-Riva ◽  
Andrea Berger ◽  
Gideon Emanuel Anholt

Abstract Background Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, intrusive thoughts and/or behaviors. OCD symptoms are often triggered by external stimuli. Therefore, it has been suggested that difficulty inhibiting responses to stimuli associated with strong action tendencies may underlie symptoms. The present electrophysiological study examined whether stimuli evoking a strong automatic response are associated with enhanced action tendencies in OCD participants relative to healthy controls. Methods The lateralized readiness potential (LRP) and the N2 event-related potential (ERP) components were used as measures of action tendencies and inhibition, respectively. ERPs were recorded while 38 participants diagnosed with OCD and 38 healthy controls performed a variation of the Stroop task using colored arrows. Results The OCD group presented with larger LRP amplitudes than the control group. This effect was found specifically in the incongruent condition. Furthermore, an interaction effect was found between group and congruency such that the OCD group showed a reduced N2 in the incongruent condition compared to the congruent condition, whereas the control group demonstrated the opposite effect. Results support the hypothesis that OCD is characterized by stronger readiness-for-action and impaired inhibitory mechanisms, particularly when the suppression of a dominant response tendency is required. Our results were supported by source localization analyses for the LRP and N2 components. These findings were specific to OCD and not associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. Conclusions The present results support the notion of stronger habitual behavior and embodiment tendencies in OCD and impaired inhibitory control under conditions of conflict.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 785-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole C.R. McLaughlin ◽  
Jason Kirschner ◽  
Hallee Foster ◽  
Chloe O’Connell ◽  
Steven A. Rasmussen ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives: Several studies have found impaired response inhibition, measured by a stop-signal task (SST), in individuals who are currently symptomatic for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of this study was to assess stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) performance in individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of OCD, in comparison to a healthy control group. This is the first study that has examined OCD in participants along a continuum of OCD severity, including approximately half of whom had sub-syndromal symptoms at the time of assessment. Methods: OCD participants were recruited primarily from within the OCD clinic at a psychiatric hospital, as well as from the community. Healthy controls were recruited from the community. We used the stop signal task to examine the difference between 21 OCD participants (mean age, 42.95 years) and 40 healthy controls (mean age, 35.13 years). We also investigated the relationship between SST and measures of OCD, depression, and anxiety severity. Results: OCD participants were significantly slower than healthy controls with regard to mean SSRT. Contrary to our prediction, there was no correlation between SSRT and current levels of OCD, anxiety, and depression severity. Conclusions: Results support prior studies showing impaired response inhibition in OCD, and extend the findings to a sample of patients with lifetime OCD who were not all currently above threshold for diagnosis. These findings indicate that response inhibition deficits may be a biomarker of OCD, regardless of current severity levels. (JINS, 2016, 22, 785–789)


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyal Kalanthroff ◽  
Tobias Teichert ◽  
Michael G. Wheaton ◽  
Marcia B. Kimeldorf ◽  
Omer Linkovski ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 150-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sottocorno ◽  
R. Martoni ◽  
E. Galimberti ◽  
E. Fadda ◽  
L. Bellodi

IntroductionSome authors suggest that Anorexia Nervosa (AN) could be considered as part of the Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) might be best characterized in terms of failures in cognitive and behavioral inhibitory functions. Impairments in intentionally inhibiting simple motor actions (Response Inhibition) have been demonstrated in these patients but no studies were conducted in AN patients.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate Response Inhibition (RI) in patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Healthy Controls (HC).Methods29 HC, 17 patients with OCD and 15 patients with AN were recruited. Stop Signal Task (SST) selected from Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was administered to all participants. SST is based on the Logan's theory and it gives an index of Response Inhibition, called Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT).ResultsA significant difference in SSRT between HC and the clinical groups was found. No differences in SSRT and number of “Direction Errors” were found between OCD and AN groups. No gender influence on the SST performance was found.OCD group showed slower reaction times to the main task than AN and HC.ConclusionResults from neuropsychological assessment have shown a deficit in the Response Inhibition in OCD and AN patients, in line with our hypothesis. Findings supports evidences in literature about OCD patients, but it represents a pioneer result in the contest of AN patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 979
Author(s):  
Sharon Morein-Zamir ◽  
Gideon Anholt

Response inhibition, whether reactive or proactive, is mostly investigated in a narrow cognitive framework. We argue that it be viewed within a broader frame than the action being inhibited, i.e., in the context of emotion and motivation of the individual at large. This is particularly important in the clinical domain, where the motivational strength of an action can be driven by threat avoidance or reward seeking. The cognitive response inhibition literature has focused on stopping reactively with responses in anticipation of clearly delineated external signals, or proactively in limited contexts, largely independent of clinical phenomena. Moreover, the focus has often been on stopping efficiency and its correlates rather than on inhibition failures. Currently, the cognitive and clinical perspectives are incommensurable. A broader context may explain the apparent paradox where individuals with disorders characterised by maladaptive action control have difficulty inhibiting their actions only in specific circumstances. Using Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as a case study, clinical theorising has focused largely on compulsions as failures of inhibition in relation to specific internal or external triggers. We propose that the concept of action tendencies may constitute a useful common denominator bridging research into motor, emotional, motivational, and contextual aspects of action control failure. The success of action control may depend on the interaction between the strength of action tendencies, the ability to withhold urges, and contextual factors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 426-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Heinzel ◽  
Christian Kaufmann ◽  
Rosa Grützmann ◽  
Robert Hummel ◽  
Julia Klawohn ◽  
...  

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