The Influence of Depression on Cognitive Control: Disambiguating Approach and Avoidance Tendencies.

ABSTRACT: Dysfunctions of approach and avoidance motivation play an important role in depression, which in turn may affect cognitive control, i.e., the ability to regulate thoughts and action to achieve internal goals. We use a novel experimental paradigm, i.e. a computer simulated driving-task, to study the impact of depression on cognitive control by measuring approach and avoidance actions in continuous time. In this task, 39 subjects with minimal to severe depression symptoms were instructed to use a joystick to move a virtual car as quickly as possible to a target point without crossing a stop-sign or crashing into a wall. We recorded their continuous actions on a joystick and found that depression 1) leads to further stopping distance to task target; and 2) increases the magnitude of late dece

SUBMITTER: Huang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4659610 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature