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 deceleration (avoidance) but not early acceleration (approach), which was only observed in the stop-sign condition. Taken together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that depressed individuals have greater avoidance motivation near stopping target, but are minimally affected by approach motivation.
Highlights
Depressive pathology has been linked to executive deficits, including impaired cognitive control [1], which can be defined as the ability to regulate thoughts and action to achieve internal goals [2]
We first examined the effect of depression group (i.e., Non Dep, Mild Dep and Mod-Sev Dep) and experimental condition (i.e., Stop sign, Wall) on stopping distance
This study aimed to disambiguate the potential impact of approach from avoidance motivational dysfunctions on cognitive control among individuals with depression
Summary
Depressive pathology has been linked to executive deficits, including impaired cognitive control [1], which can be defined as the ability to regulate thoughts and action to achieve internal goals [2]. Such impairments are evidenced in a variety of complex goal-directed tasks. Depression seems to affect how individuals process sensory information (e.g., sensitivity to mood-congruent/negatively valenced information) in cognitive control tasks, as well as how they dynamically plan and implement actions in various goal-directed tasks. The effect of depression on the implementation of goal-directed actions remains poorly understood, despite important implications for everyday functioning. Mood-driven cognitive control deficits are likely to have deleterious consequences on PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0143714 November 25, 2015
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
