Effect of cognitive bias modification-memory on depressive symptoms and autobiographical memory bias: Two independent studies in high-ruminating and dysphoric samples

Item does not contain fulltextMemory bias is a risk factor for depression. In two independent studies, the efficacy of one CBM-Memory session on negative memory bias and depressive symptoms was tested in vulnerable samples. We compared positive to neutral (control) CBM-Memory trainings in highly-ruminating individuals (N=101) and individuals with elevated depressive symptoms (N=100). In both studies, participants studied positive, neutral, and negative Swahili words paired with their translations. In five study-test blocks, they were then prompted to retrieve either only the positive or neutral translations. Immediately following the training and one week later, we tested cued recall of all translations and autobiographical memory bias; and also measured mood, depressive symptoms, and rumination. Retrieval practice resulted in training-congruent recall both immediately after and one week after the training. Overall, there was no differential decrease in symptoms or difference in autobiographical memory bias between the training conditions. In the dysphoric but not in the high-ruminating sample, the positive training resulted in positive autobiographical bias only in dysphoric individuals with positive pre-existing bias. We conclude that one session of positive retrieval-based CBM-Memory may not be enough to yield symptom change and affect autobiographical memory bias in vulnerable individuals.17 p

Effect of Cognitive Bias Modification-Memory on Depressive Symptoms and Autobiographical Memory Bias: Two Independent Studies in High-Ruminating and Dysphoric Samples

Memory bias is a risk factor for depression. In two independent studies, the efficacy of one CBM-Memory session on negative memory bias and depressive symptoms was tested in vulnerable samples. We compared positive to neutral (control) CBM-Memory trainings in highly-ruminating individuals (N = 101) and individuals with elevated depressive symptoms (N = 100). In both studies, participants studied positive, neutral, and negative Swahili words paired with their translations. In five study–test blocks, they were then prompted to retrieve either only the positive or neutral translations. Immediately following the training and one week later, we tested cued recall of all translations and autobiographical memory bias; and also measured mood, depressive symptoms, and rumination. Retrieval practice resulted in training-congruent recall both immediately after and one week after the training. Overall, there was no differential decrease in symptoms or difference in autobiographical memory bias between the training conditions. In the dysphoric but not in the high-ruminating sample, the positive training resulted in positive autobiographical bias only in dysphoric individuals with positive pre-existing bias. We conclude that one session of positive retrieval-based CBM-Memory may not be enough to yield symptom change and affect autobiographical memory bias in vulnerable individuals

Neural and behavioral measures of error-related cognitive control predict daily coping with stress

This study tested the hypothesis that individual differences in cognitive control can predict individual differences in emotion regulation. Participants completed color–word and emotional Stroop tasks while an electroencephalogram was recorded, and then they reported daily stressful events, affect, and coping for 14 days. Greater posterror slowing in the emotional Stroop task predicted greater negative affect in response to stressors and less use of task-focused coping as daily stressors increased. Participants whose neural activity best distinguished errors from correct responses tended to show less stress reactivity in daily self-reports. Finally, depression levels predicted daily affect and coping independent of cognitive control variables. The results offer qualified support for an integrated conception of cognitive and emotional self-regulation. --author-supplied descriptio

Cognitive control in the inter-trial interval: Evidence from EEG alpha power

This study used electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum analyses to characterize neural activity during the intertrial interval, a period during which online cognitive adjustments in response to errors or conflict are thought to occur. EEG alpha power was quantified as an inverse index of cerebral activity during the period between each response and the next stimulus in a Stroop task. Alpha power was significantly reduced following error responses compared to correct responses, indicating greater cerebral activity following errors. Reduced alpha power was also observed following Stroop conflict trials compared to no-conflict trials, suggesting that conflict engages processes of mental adjustment. Finally, hemispheric differences in alpha power during the intertrial interval supported the complementary roles of the left and right hemispheres in behavioral activation and inhibition. --Journal Abstrac

Negative self-referential processing is associated with genetic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR): Evidence from two independent studies

<div><p>The current research examined whether carriers of the short 5-HTTLPR allele (in <i>SLC6A4</i>), who have been shown to selectively attend to negative information, exhibit a bias towards negative self-referent processing. The self-referent encoding task (SRET) was used to measure self-referential processing of positive and negative adjectives. Ratcliff’s diffusion model isolated and extracted decision-making components from SRET responses and reaction times. Across the initial (<i>N</i> = 183) and replication (<i>N</i> = 137) studies, results indicated that short 5-HTTLPR allele carriers more easily categorized negative adjectives as self-referential (i.e., higher drift rate). Further, drift rate was associated with recall of negative self-referential stimuli. Findings across both studies provide further evidence that genetic variation may contribute to the etiology of negatively biased processing of self-referent information. Large scale studies examining the genetic contributions to negative self-referent processing may be warranted.</p></div

Association between 5-HTTLPR and drift rate for the self-referent encoding task.

<p>The top set of plots (a) show data from Study 1; the bottom set (b) show data from the replication, Study 2. The left plot shows the relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and drift rate for negative adjectives and the right plot shows the relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and drift rate for positive adjectives. The left plot shows that S′-carriers of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism displayed a larger (less-negative) drift rate, indicating that they had more difficulty categorizing negative words as not self-referential. Points are jittered to so that all observations are presented.</p

Illustration of the diffusion model.

<p>The two schematics shown here represent a subset of trials selected from hypothetical results for two conditions. The left image displays a moderate, self-referential drift rate (i.e. positive slope, low absolute value), and the right image displays a strong, non-self-referential drift rate (i.e. negative slope, high absolute value). Overall SRET reaction time is broken down into three components: encoding period, decision phase, and motor response. During the decision phase, evidence accumulation begins at the relative starting point (which varies across subjects) and continues until one of the thresholds is met. The time taken to reach the threshold across all trials is used to determine drift rate. Two drift rates were generated for each individual, one pertaining to decision making for positive adjectives and one for negative adjectives.</p

Association between drift rate and recall for self-referential words on the self-referent encoding task.

<p>The top plot (a) shows data from Study 1; the bottom plot (b) shows data from the replication, Study 2. The scatterplot shows the relationship between drift rate and recall of positive (circles) and negative (triangles) stimuli.</p

Means (SD) for depressive symptoms and diffusion model parameters presented as a function of 5-HTTLPR genotype.

<p>Means (SD) for depressive symptoms and diffusion model parameters presented as a function of 5-HTTLPR genotype.</p