Distress Intolerance Modulation of Neurophysiological Markers of Cognitive Control during a Complex Go/No-go Task

摘要

Distress intolerance (DI), a trait-like individual difference reflective of the inability to endure aversive affective states, is relevant to multiple forms of psychopathology, but its relations to theoretically-relevant neurobiological systems has received little attention. Altered response inhibition-related neurobiology has been theorized to underlie individual differences in DI, but little empirical work has been conducted. To test this hypothesis, baseline data from a large clinical sample with elevated risk for affective psychopathology was utilized (N = 254). Participants completed a complex Go/No-go task while EEG was recorded, and No-go N2/P3 amplitudes and latencies were measured. Based upon prior findings on the relations between these components and response inhibition, we hypothesized that DI would predict reduced No-go N2/P3 amplitude and greater No-go N2/P3 latency while controlling for current anxious/depressive symptom severity. Partially consistent with predictions, high DI was independently associated with reduced No-go N2 amplitude but was non-significantly related to latency, though high DI was linked with greater Go N2 latency. Contrary to predictions, no relations between DI and the P3 were found. Further, exploratory analyses revealed positive associations between DI and No-go P2 amplitude/latency. Correlations between components and task performance suggest that observed relations between DI and the P2/N2 may reflect inefficient rather than impaired response inhibition. Overall, results support the theorized relevance of response inhibition-linked neurobiology to individual differences in tolerance of distress over and above distress severity itself, and suggest specific relations between DI and alterations in early selective attention/conflict-monitoring but not evaluative phases of response inhibition.