Larger N2 and smaller early contingent negative variation during the processing of uncertainty about future emotional events

Abstract

Uncertainty increases individuals' anxiety and fear. Identifying its neural processing may contribute to understanding the detrimental effects of uncertainty on well-being and psychological symptoms. Using high temporal resolution event-related potentials (ERPs), employing the classical paradigm in which neutral signs were used as certain and uncertain cues and anticipating arousal-balanced positive and negative pictures, the present study aimed to further investigate the temporal dynamics of brain activation by uncertainty about future emotional events. ERPs were recorded while participants observed uncertain cues and certain cues about future positive and negative pictures. Results showed that the uncertain cues produced larger N2 than did the certain cues about both future positive and negative pictures, and uncertain cues produced smaller early contingent negative variation (CNV) than did the certain cues about future negative pictures. The results provide evidence that the specific processing of uncertainty about future emotional events occurs at different cognitive stages.