Neural Correlates of Response Monitoring and Response Inhibition in Disordered Eating During Preadolescence.

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Research has reported comorbidity between anorexia nervosa (AN) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; Meier et al., 2015), as well as an overlap in symptomatology and executive functioning impairments, such as planning, response inhibition and working memory (Abramovitch, Abramowitz & Mittelman, 2013). AN and OCD both have strong associations with anxiety, depression and perfectionism (e.g. Altman & Shankman, 2009), which have been linked to excessive response monitoring, a component of cognitive control, indexed through elevated error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) amplitudes (Barke et al., 2017). Although excessive response monitoring has been found in both clinical and non-clinical OCD populations (e.g. Hajcak & Simons, 2002), there is currently a lack of evidence from eating disorder populations. One such study reported blunted ERN amplitudes in AN patients; however, they did not control for malnutrition in this group (Pieters et al., 2007). The current study aimed to examine the link between disordered eating behaviours and neural correlates of response monitoring and inhibitory control in a pre-clinical preadolescent sample, allowing us to control for the confounds of malnutrition.

Twenty-three children (M age = 10.2 years; 47.8% male) completed a modified Go/No-Go task while electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and event-related potential (ERP) components were recorded. Self-report measures of disordered eating (ChEAT; Maloney et al., 1989), anxiety and depression (RCADS-25; Muris et al., 2002), obsessive-compulsive (OC) behaviours (OCI-CV; Foa et al., 2010), and perfectionism (CAPS; Flett et al., 2000) were also collected.

Preliminary analyses revealed higher levels of disordered eating were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, OC behaviours and perfectionism. There were no significant relations between disordered eating and either accuracy or reaction times (RT) on Go and NoGo trials once anxiety, OC behaviours, and perfectionism were controlled for. Although correlational analyses revealed no significant associations between disordered eating and ERP amplitudes, higher levels of both anxiety and OC behaviours were associated with reduced P3 amplitudes on NoGo trials. As shown in Figure 1, higher levels of perfectionism were associated with enhanced CRN and ERN amplitudes, but reduced Pe amplitudes on incorrect responses. Follow-up simple linear regressions supported these significant relations. Figure 2 displays the grand mean response-locked ERP waveforms.


Figure 1. Correlations between Perfectionism and CRN, ERN and Pe mean amplitudes at Cz.


Figure 2. Grand mean response-locked waveforms for correct and incorrect responses at Fz and Cz.

These preliminary results suggest that excessive response monitoring or deficits in response inhibition are not associated with disordered eating in preadolescents. This may be explained by the lower severity of behaviours present in this population compared to individuals with clinical diagnoses. Alternatively, enhanced response monitoring in the form of CRN and ERN amplitudes, may be uniquely explained by perfectionism in this sample. Associations between reduced P3 amplitudes and anxiety and OC behaviours are consistent with impaired response inhibition, and reduced NoGo P3 amplitudes, in adults with an OCD diagnosis compared to healthy controls (Herrmann et al., 2003), and children with elevated anxiety compared to low levels of anxiety (Éismont, Lutsyuk & Pavlenko, 2009).

Authors

• Kai Stephen Thomas, Cardiff University
  Presenting Author

• Marc Williams, Cardiff University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ross E Vanderwert, Cardiff University
  Non-Presenting Author