Impaired behavioral inhibitory control of self-injury cues between adolescents with depression with self-injury behavior and those without during a two-choice oddball task: an event-related potential study

Lingli Ma; Dong-Dong Zhou; Lin Zhao; Jinhui Hu; Xinyu Peng; Zhenghao Jiang; Xiaoqing He; Wo Wang; Su Hong; Li Kuang

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1165210

Impaired behavioral inhibitory control of self-injury cues between adolescents with depression with self-injury behavior and those without during a two-choice oddball task: an event-related potential study

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 12:14:1165210. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1165210. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lingli Ma¹, Dong-Dong Zhou², Lin Zhao¹, Jinhui Hu², Xinyu Peng¹, Zhenghao Jiang², Xiaoqing He², Wo Wang², Su Hong¹, Li Kuang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
² Mental Health Centre, University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to objectively evaluate the severity of impulsivity [behavior inhibitory control (BIC) impairment] among adolescents with depression. In particular, those involved in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors, compared with those engaged in suicidal behaviors and adolescents without any self-injury behavior, using event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) within the two-choice oddball paradigm.

Methods: Participants with a current diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) engaged in repetitive NSSI for five or more days in the past year (n = 53) or having a history of at least one prior complete suicidal behavior (n = 31) were recruited in the self-injury group. Those without self-injury behavior were recruited in the MDD group (n = 40). They completed self-report scales and a computer-based two-choice oddball paradigm during which a continuous electroencephalogram was recorded. The difference waves in P3d were derived from the deviant minus standard wave, and the target index was the difference between the two conditions. We focused on latency and amplitude, and time-frequency analyses were conducted in addition to the conventional index.

Results: Participants with self-injury, compared to those with depression but without self-injury, exhibited specific deficits in BIC impairment, showing a significantly larger amplitude. Specifically, the NSSI group showed the highest value in amplitude and theta power, and suicidal behavior showed a high value in amplitude but the lowest value in theta power. These results may potentially predict the onset of suicide following repetitive NSSI.

Conclusion: These findings contribute to substantial progress in exploring neuro-electrophysiological evidence of self-injury behaviors. Furthermore, the difference between the NSSI and suicide groups might be the direction of prediction of suicidality.

Keywords: P3; behavior inhibitory control; event-related potential; non-suicidal self-injury; suicidality; time-frequency analysis.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Science and Technology Bureau of Chongqing (cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0222) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81971286).