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

Huiyan Lin; Hongwei Gao; Jin You; Jiafeng Liang; Junpeng Ma; Nan Yang; Huan Xu; Hua Jin

doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.10.004

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

Int J Psychophysiol. 2014 Dec;94(3):292-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.10.004. Epub 2014 Oct 13.

Authors

Huiyan Lin¹, Hongwei Gao², Jin You³, Jiafeng Liang⁴, Junpeng Ma⁵, Nan Yang⁵, Huan Xu⁵, Hua Jin⁶

Affiliations

¹ Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
² Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China; Songpengying Middle School, Zunhua, Hebei Province, China.
³ Department of psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
⁴ Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
⁵ Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.
⁶ Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China; Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: jinhuascholar@gmail.com.

PMID: 25312204
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.10.004

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.

Keywords: CNV; Certain cues; N2; Negative pictures; Positive pictures; Uncertain cues.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Contingent Negative Variation / physiology*
Emotions / physiology*
Evoked Potentials / physiology
Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology*
Female
Forecasting
Humans
Male
Photic Stimulation / methods*
Uncertainty*
Young Adult