Cavanagh, J. F., Sanguinetti, J. L., Allen, J. J., Sherman, S. J., & Frank, M. J. (2014). The subthalamic nucleus contributes to post error slowing. Jounral of Cognitive Neuroscience.
(in press) doi:10.1162/jocn_a_00659
Harmon-Jones, E., & J., J. (1998). Anger and frontal brain activity: EEG asymmetry consistent with approach motivation despite negative affective valence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1310-1316.
PMID: 9599445;Abstract:
The anterior regions of the left and right cerebral hemispheres have been posited to be specialized for expression and experience of approach and withdrawal processes, respectively. Much of the evidence supporting this hypothesis has been obtained by use of the anterior asymmetry in electroencephalographic alpha activity. In most of this research, however, motivational direction has been confounded with affective valence such that, for instance, approach motivation relates positively with positive affect. In the present research, we tested the hypothesis that dispositional anger, an approach-related motivational tendency with negative valence, would be associated with greater left- than right-anterior activity. Results supported the hypothesis, suggesting that the anterior asymmetry varies as a function of motivational direction rather than affective valence. Copyright 1998 by the American Psychological Association, Inc.
Moreno, F. A., Gelenberg, A. J., Heninger, G. R., Potter, R. L., McKnight, K. M., Allen, J., Phillips, A. P., & Delgado, P. L. (1999). Tryptophan depletion and depressive vulnerability. Biological Psychiatry, 46(4), 498-505.
PMID: 10459399;Abstract:
Background: Rapid and transient depletion of tryptophan (TRP) causes a brief depressive relapse in most patients successfully treated with and taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but little change in drug-free, symptomatic depressed patients. This study investigates the effects of TRP depletion in drug-free subjects in clinical remission from a prior major depressive episode (MDE). Methods: Twelve subjects with a prior MDE, currently in clinical remission and drug-free for at least 3 months (patients), and 12 healthy subjects without personal or family history of Axis I disorder (controls), received TRP depletion. The study was conducted in a double-blind, controlled [full (102-g) and quarter-strength (25 g) 15-amino acid drinks], crossover fashion. Behavioral ratings and plasma TRP levels were obtained prior to, during, and after testing. Results: All subjects experienced significant depletion of plasma TRP on both test-drinks, showing a significant dose-response relation. Healthy control subjects had minimal mood changes, but patients had a depressive response of greater magnitude. Conclusions: In the context of prior TRP depletion studies with antidepressant-treated, and drug-free symptomatic depressed patients, these results suggest that depression may be caused not by an abnormality of 5-HT function, but by dysfunction of other systems or brain regions modulated by 5-HT. Copyright (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.
Janssen, C. W., Lowry, C. A., Mehl, M. R., Allen, J. J., Kelly, K. L., Gartner, D. E., Medrano, A., Begay, T. K., Rentscher, K., & White, J. J. (2016). Whole-body hyperthermia for the treatment of major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 73(8), 789-795.
Cavanagh, J. F., Zambrano-Vazquez, L., & Allen, J. J. (2012). Theta lingua franca: A common mid-frontal substrate for action monitoring processes. Psychophysiology, 49(2), 220-238.
PMID: 22091878;PMCID: PMC3262926;Abstract:
We present evidence that a multitude of mid-frontal event-related potential (ERP) components partially reflect a common theta band oscillatory process. Specifically, mid-frontal ERP components in the N2 time range and error-related negativity time range are parsimoniously characterized as reflections of theta band activities. Forty participants completed three different tasks with varying stimulus-response demands. Permutation tests were used to identify the dominant time-frequency responses of stimulus- and response-locked conditions as well as the enhanced responses to novelty, conflict, punishment, and error. A dominant theta band feature was found in all conditions, and both ERP component amplitudes and theta power measures were similarly modulated by novelty, conflict, punishment, and error. The findings support the hypothesis that generic and reactive medial prefrontal cortex processes are parsimoniously reflected by theta band activities. © 2011 Society for Psychophysiological Research.
