Neural Evidence for Enhanced Error Detection in Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

These data implicate exaggerated early error-detection processes in the etiology and maintenance of major depressive disorder. Such processes may then recruit excessive neural and cognitive resources that manifest as symptoms of depression.

Regret and the negative evaluation of decision outcomes in major depression

“…Reduced neural activation elicited by rewards in regions of the medial frontal cortex and striatum has been observed (Knutson et al, 2008;Kumar et al, 2008;Pizzagalli et al, 2009). Consistent with a negative bias, enhanced punishment or loss-related activity has also often been observed, particularly in studies employing event-related potentials (e.g., Chiu & Deldin, 2007;Holmes & Pizzagalli, 2008), but equally so has been attenuated loss-related activity (Steele et al, 2007).…”

“…A variety of effects have been observed with different paradigms, which were briefly discussed in the introduction. Typically, the paradigms that are employed follow a straightforward Pavlovian format in which a stimulus precedes a rewarding outcome (e.g., Kumar et al, 2008) or are analyzed with a direct focus on important parameters, such as selection, anticipation, and outcome (e.g., Chiu & Deldin, 2007;Knutson et al, 2008;Smoski et al, 2009). Collectively, these findings have so far resisted a straightforward unifying account and are generally not discussed in terms of regret or counterfactual cognition.…”

Decreased cognitive control in response to negative information in patients with remitted depression: an event-related potential study

“…36,37 This reduced conflict monitoring and potentiated error processing in individuals with MDD have been associated with dorsal ACC hypoactivation and rostral ACC hyperactivation, respectively. 20,36,38,39 Accordingly, these findings point to regionspecific hypo-and hyperactivation within frontocingulate pathways in people with depression and are consistent with literature emphasizing functional differentiation between different ACC subdivisions.…”

Abnormal proactive and reactive cognitive control during conflict processing in major depression.

“…However, it remains unclear whether this dorsal activation is either decreased or increased during cognitive control operations engaged during the processing of emotional stimuli in currently or remitted depressed patients (Joormann & Gotlib, 2008). While some studies reported hyperactivity in these dorsal regions in depressed patients during cognitive control operations (Chiu & Deldin, 2007;Harvey et al, 2005;Holmes & Pizzagalli, 2008a;Luu, Flaisch, & Tucker, 2000;Liotti, Woldorff, Perez, & Mayberg, 2000), other studies found depressionrelated hypoactivity in these same areas, including the DLPFC and the dACC (Holmes & Pizzagalli, 2008b;Vanderhasselt & De Raedt, 2009). This discrepancy might stem from the fact that these studies focussed on different aspects of cognitive control, including proactive and reactive mechanisms (Braver, Gray, & Burgess, 2007).…”