The cognitive neural mechanism of response inhibition and error processing to fearful expressions in adolescents with high reactive aggression

Abstract

Reactive aggression in adolescents is characterized by high levels of impulsivity. This is associated with deficits in response inhibition and error processing and spontaneous emotion-driven responses to a perceived threat. However, the characteristics and cognitive neural mechanisms of response inhibition and error processing to indirect threat in adolescents with high levels of reactive aggression are unclear. This study explored the characteristics and cognitive neural mechanisms of response inhibition and error processing to fearful expressions in adolescents with high levels of reactive aggression using an emotional Go/No-Go paradigm combined with ERP recordings. Adolescents with high levels of reactive aggression (n = 31) and a control group (n = 30) took part in this study. Results showed that when presented with fearful expressions, adolescents with high levels of reactive aggression showed a smaller No-Go P3 effect and smaller ERN amplitudes following commission errors on the No-Go task than the control group. Results suggested that when presented with fearful expressions, adolescents with high levels of reactive aggression have impaired response inhibition in the later stage of actual inhibitory control of the motor system and impaired error processing in the early stage of fast and automatic initial error detection.