Cued Continuous Performance Test Research Articles

Clarifying Response Processes and Efficiency in a Cued Continuous Performance Test

Event Abstract Back to Event Clarifying Response Processes and Efficiency in a Cued Continuous Performance Test Robert J. Barry1, Diana Karamacoska1* and Genevieve Z. Steiner1 1 University Of Wollongong, School of Psychology, Australia Background The cued Continuous Performance Test (CPT) is known to elicit the contingent negative variation (CNV), which facilitates response preparation to upcoming Targets/NonTargets (imperative stimuli). Less prevalent in the literature is the examination of ERP responses to the cues, and how the preparatory activity these stimuli elicit influences the subsequent processing of imperative stimuli. Our study aimed to clarify whether the response processes to the imperatives were similar to those occurring to the cue, and determine if physiological and behavioural response efficiency was facilitated by this preparatory activity. Methods Continuous EEG was recorded from 70 participants during a computerised version of the Gordon-CPT that involved a fixed series of digits presented on a monitor with 1000 ms SOA. Subjects were required to press a button to the Target, 9, when cued by 1, and refrain from responses to cued NonTarget numbers. Single trial ERPs were extracted for the cue and two imperatives, and were analysed via Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Response components to cues and imperatives were assessed for similarity using the coefficient of congruence (rc); latencies were also assessed. For behavioural performance, reaction time (RT) was measured from Target onset and correlated with CNV amplitude. Results PCA identified 7 response components for the cue and imperatives: N1, PN, P2, N2c, N2b, P3, and SW. All were deemed to be similar between the stimulus types (rc > .80), except the N2cs, which showed little resemblance (rc < .80). Peak latencies strongly correlated between cue and imperatives (r = .99), with shorter latencies apparent for imperative components. RTs reduced as a function of increasing CNV amplitude. Discussion The response components to imperatives are strongly related to cue response components, suggesting that similar response processes are occurring for these stimuli during the task. The preparatory activity elicited by the cue enhances both electrophysiological and behavioural response efficiency in this cued paradigm. Keywords: Continuous Performance Test (CPT), event-related potentials (ERPs), Principal Components Analysis (PCA), response processes, response efficiency Conference: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Attention Citation: Barry RJ, Karamacoska D and Steiner GZ (2013). Clarifying Response Processes and Efficiency in a Cued Continuous Performance Test. Conference Abstract: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00142 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 11 Sep 2013; Published Online: 25 Nov 2013. * Correspondence: Miss. Diana Karamacoska, University Of Wollongong, School of Psychology, Wollongong, Australia, d.karamacoska@westernsydney.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Robert J Barry Diana Karamacoska Genevieve Z Steiner Google Robert J Barry Diana Karamacoska Genevieve Z Steiner Google Scholar Robert J Barry Diana Karamacoska Genevieve Z Steiner PubMed Robert J Barry Diana Karamacoska Genevieve Z Steiner Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

A neurophysiological marker of impaired preparation in an 11‐year follow‐up study of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

This longitudinal electrophysiological study investigated the course of multiple impaired cognitive brain functions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from childhood to adulthood by comparing developmental trajectories of individuals with ADHD and typically developing controls. Subjects with ADHD (N = 11) and normal controls (N = 12) diagnosed in childhood [mean age ADHD/CTRL = 10.9 years [SD 1.72]/10.0 years (SD 1.03)] were followed up after 1.1 and 2.4 years, and as young adults [ADHD/CTRL: 21.9 years (SD 1.46)/21.1 years (SD 1.29)]. At all four times, event-related potential (ERP) maps were recorded during a cued continuous performance test (CPT). We focused on residual deficits as adults, and on developmental trajectories (time and time × group effects) for CPT performance and attentional (Cue P300), preparatory (CNV: contingent negative variation) and inhibitory (NoGo P300) ERP components. All ERP components developed without significant time × group interactions. Only the CNV remained reduced in the ADHD group, although 8/11 individuals no longer met a full ADHD diagnosis as adults. Cue P300 and NoGo P300 group differences became nonsignificant in early adulthood. The CNV parameters correlated with reaction time (RT) and RT-SD. Perceptual sensitivity improved and the groups' trajectories converged with development, while RT-SD continued to be elevated in adult ADHD subjects. Attentional and preparatory deficits in ADHD continue into adulthood, and the attenuated CNV appears to reflect a particularly stable ADHD marker. Although some deficit reductions may have gone undetected due to small sample size, the findings challenge those developmental lag models postulating that most ADHD-related deficits become negligible with brain maturation.

Mapping Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder from Childhood to Adolescence—No Neurophysiologic Evidence for a Developmental Lag of Attention but Some for Inhibition

The role of a developmental lag for deficits of higher brain functions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not yet been tested in longitudinal studies. We examined the development of neurophysiological markers of attention (Cue P300; contingent negative variation [CNV]) and inhibition (NoGo P300) in ADHD and control groups from childhood to adolescence for support of the developmental lag hypothesis of ADHD. ADHD (n = 28/3 girls) and control (n = 22/5 girls) subjects were assessed at baseline (Time 1; ADHD age 10.8 +/- 1.8 years, controls 10.4 +/- 1.1 years) and at two follow-up examinations (Time 2 after 1.2 years, Time 3 after 2.5 years). Event-related potential maps were recorded during a cued Continuous Performance Test (CPT) at all assessments and analyzed using scalp and source (sLORETA) measures. CPT performance showed common effects of ADHD and younger age, consistent with (but not specific to) developmental lag. The NoGo P300 developed earlier and became stronger in control subjects than in the ADHD group, again consistent with an initial developmental lag. In contrast, the attenuation of the Cue P300 and the CNV with ADHD at all assessments was opposite to the enhancement with younger age and thus inconsistent with developmental lag. The sLORETA source localization also differed between ADHD and developmental effects. These results provide strong evidence for multiple and persistent neural processing deficits in ADHD. They do not support the developmental lag hypothesis for attentional dysfunction in ADHD despite partial evidence that developmental lag contributes to inhibitory brain dysfunction during early adolescence.

Increase of P300-NoGo-anteriorisation in first-episode schizophrenia patients during Continuous Performance Test

Objectives: It was found that in chronic schizophrenia patients the NoGo anteriorisation (NGA) in a cued Continuous Performance Test (CPT) was markedly reduced. Our study was performed to reproduce this result in first-episode schizophrenic patients by microstate (MS) analysis. Methods: 18 schizophrenic patients, half were medicated with antipsychotics, and 18 healthy subjects matched for gender and age were investigated with a cued CPT. Event related potentials (ERP) were recorded with 21 EEG-channels. Go trials must be answered by pressing a button. In each subject Go- and NoGo-average ERP-maps were clustered into 5 topographical MS-classes. At MS-maximum the positive centroids of the Go- and NoGo-maps and their distance, the NGA, were determined Results: In schizophrenia patients the following significant effects were found: Increase of NGA, reaction time and NoGo-latency as well as decrease of Go- and NoGo-amplitudes and NoGo-MS-duration. Beginning of NoGo-MS was retarded. The increase of NGA was not induced by antipsychotics. Conclusions: Whereas most of the P300-parameters reflecting attention are typically decreased already in first-episode schizophrenia patients, frontal function represented by the increase of NGA seems to be intact in first-episode but decreases during chronification of schizophrenia. It is discussed, whether in the initial phase of schizophrenia prevention of psychotic episodes could decrease or prevent the progression of cognitive impairment.

Developmental change of neurocognitive motor behavior in a continuous performance test with different interstimulus intervals.

We investigated the neurocognitive process of motor control using event-related potentials during a cued continuous performance test with different interstimulus intervals in healthy children, and examined their neurocognitive process in motor execution and in motor inhibition. Twenty-eight children group by age (9 years n=8, 11 years n=9, 13 years n=11) and 10 adults participated. In cued continuous performance test, subjects were asked to press a button when '9' appeared immediately after '1.' To maintain uncertainty in the stimulus series, we used 3 interstimulus intervals between the warning stimulus and subsequent target (800 ms, 1500 ms, 3000 ms). Effects of different interstimulus intervals were observed in the reaction time of hits regardless of the age of the subject. In adults, spatial distribution of the P3 component elicited by targets was centro-parietal maximum that was discriminable from the distribution of No-go P3, which was characterized by centro-parietal dominant distribution under all interstimulus interval (ISI) conditions. However, in younger children (9 years), the P3 component elicited by No-go distributed to the centro-frontal area, and P2/N2 with a significant anterior negative/posterior positive distribution was observed. As age increased, the dominant distribution of No-go P3 shifted significantly to a more anterior area compared with that of Target P3, and significantly prolonged ISI brought No-go P3 with centro-frontal dominant distribution that might indicate motor inhibition. These results indicated that behavioral change in the developmental course might be concerned with automatization of orientation and evaluation of stimulus relevance. Furthermore, efficient motor control might be enabled by establishment of an inhibitory process in the anterior area, in addition to an executive process in the posterior area.

Training of slow cortical potentials in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence for positive behavioral and neurophysiological effects

Background Learned self-control of slow cortical potentials (SCPs) may lead to behavioral improvement in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Hence, training effects should also be reflected at the neurophysiological level. Methods Thirteen children with ADHD, aged 7–13 years, performed 25 SCP training sessions within 3 weeks. Before and after training, the German ADHD rating scale was completed by parents, and event-related potentials were recorded in a cued continuous performance test (CPT). For a waiting-list group of nine children with ADHD, the same testing was applied. Results ADHD symptomatology was reduced by approximately 25% after SCP training. Moreover, a decrease of impulsivity errors and an increase of the contingent negative variation were observed in the CPT task. Conclusions This study provides first evidence for both positive behavioral and specific neurophysiological effects of SCP training in children with ADHD.

Electrophysiology of the prefrontal cortex in healthy controls and schizophrenic patients: a review.

Prefrontal brain regions, in particular the anterior cingular gyrus (ACG), are altered in chronic schizophrenic patients and also play a pivotal role in physiological mechanisms of response control. A cued Continuous Performance Test (CPT) is a suitable paradigm for the investigation of response control, as it contains its fundamental mechanisms, i.e. the execution (Go) and the inhibition (NoGo) of an anticipated motor response. Previous electrophysiological investigations in healthy subjects during CPT execution revealed that the gravity center (centroid) of the event-related potential (ERP) elicited during the NoGo-condition is located more anterior as compared to the Go-condition in every single case. Moreover, by means of an electrophysiological source location method this NoGo-anteriorisation phenomenon (NGA) has been attributed to a strong brain electrical NoGo-hyperactivity located in prefrontal brain areas (ACG). Furthermore, the NGA has a superior test-retest reliability, a very high interindividual stability and is independent from age- and gender-effects. Systematic schizophrenic patients were characterized by a significantly diminished NGA indicating a dysfunction of prefrontal brain areas including the ACG. Based on these findings, the NGA has to be considered as a first electrophysiological measure for the quantitative assessment of ACG-function within a response control paradigm. Hopefully, this biological parameter will contribute to the elucidation of the etiopathogenetical background in different schizophrenic diseases.

Age-related changes in the brain electrical correlates of response control

Objectives: Previously, a quantification method was validated which, on a single case basis, allows one to assess the NoGo-anteriorisation (NGA) of the positive area of long latency event-related potential (ERP) fields elicited by a cued continuous performance test (CPT). The NGA was shown to be associated with right frontal activity. The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of age and gender on this topographical index of cognitive response control. Methods: Thirty-seven healthy controls were investigated with 21-channel recordings during the execution of a cued CPT, and ERPs of the Go and NoGo condition were obtained. The location of the positive area centroids in a P300 range and the NGA were calculated and related to age and gender by means of correlation analysis and t tests. Results: The centroid locations of the brain electrical activity during the NoGo- and the Go-condition of the CPT, were both located in more anterior brain regions with increasing age ( P<0.01 and P<0.1, respectively); the NGA, however, was not correlated with the subject's age. Latencies and amplitudes of the Go- and NoGo-centroids were not correlated with age. No gender differences were found. Conclusions: The study showed that age is a source of variance for the positive area centroid locations in this Go-NoGo paradigm. The NGA, on the other hand, was robust to age and gender effects. The result is interpreted as a sign of an increasing contribution of frontal brain areas to cognitive response control during lifespan. The finding is consistent with the age-related topographical changes described in acoustic oddball-paradigms and, therefore, appears to be a general topographical ERP effect.

Event-related correlates of response suppression as indicators of novelty seeking in alcoholics.

Novelty Seeking including impulsive behaviour is a personality dimension which has been shown to be related to early-onset alcoholism and to high relapse rates. The cued Continuous Performance Test (CPT) is an experimental paradigm for active response control requiring a choice reaction between execution (Go) and inhibition (NoGo) of a prepared motor response. Metabolic functional methods have shown right frontal brain activation throughout the period of a CPT, and the spatial analysis of the associated event-related brain electrical (ERP) field potentials revealed that this right frontal activation was due to the NoGo subset of the task. The ERP fields allow distinction between the Go and NoGo conditions with one spatial parameter (NoGo-anteriorization) in single cases. and the magnitude of this parameter is thought to be related to inhibitory frontal lobe control. Twenty patients with severe alcohol dependence and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study and investigated with a 21-channel electroencephalogram while performing a cued CPT. Consistent with previous studies, NoGo-anteriorization was present in every case in both groups. The ERP field differed between alcoholics and controls in the Go condition (P < 0.05) and NoGo-anteriorization in alcoholics was correlated inversely with Novelty Seeking in Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (r= 0.67, P < 0.01). This indicates a reduced frontal lobe contribution during response control in alcoholics with impulsive behaviour and identifies a possible biological marker for the clinical evaluation of the risk of relapse in alcoholism.