Hosseini Kianoosh, Pettit Jeremy W, Soto Fabian A, Mattfeld Aaron T, Buzzell George A
Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 15:2023.09.14.557662. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557662.
Cognitive models state social anxiety (SA) involves biased cognitive processing that impacts what is learned and remembered within social situations, leading to the maintenance of SA. Neuroscience work links SA to enhanced error monitoring, reflected in error-related neural responses arising from mediofrontal cortex (MFC). Yet, the role of error monitoring in SA remains unclear, as it is unknown whether error monitoring can drive changes in memory, biasing what is learned or remembered about social situations. Thus, we developed a novel paradigm to investigate the role of error-related MFC theta oscillations (associated with error monitoring) and memory biases in SA. EEG was collected while participants completed a novel Face-Flanker task, involving presentation of task-unrelated, trial-unique faces behind target/flanker arrows on each trial. A subsequent incidental memory assessment evaluated memory biases for error events. Severity of SA symptoms were associated with greater error-related theta synchrony over MFC, as well as between MFC and sensory cortex. SA was positively associated with memory biases for error events. Consistent with a mechanistic role in biased cognitive processing, greater error-related MFC-sensory theta synchrony during the Face-Flanker predicted subsequent memory biases for error events. Our findings suggest high SA individuals exhibit memory biases for error events, and that this behavioral phenomenon may be driven by error-related MFC-sensory theta synchrony associated with error monitoring. Moreover, results demonstrate the potential of a novel paradigm to elucidate mechanisms underlying relations between error monitoring and SA.
认知模型表明，社交焦虑（SA）涉及有偏差的认知加工，这会影响在社交情境中所学和所记的内容，从而导致社交焦虑持续存在。神经科学研究将社交焦虑与增强的错误监测联系起来，这体现在内侧前额叶皮质（MFC）产生的与错误相关的神经反应中。然而，错误监测在社交焦虑中的作用仍不明确，因为尚不清楚错误监测是否会驱动记忆变化，从而使关于社交情境的所学或所记内容产生偏差。因此，我们开发了一种新的范式来研究与错误相关的MFCθ振荡（与错误监测相关）和记忆偏差在社交焦虑中的作用。在参与者完成一项新颖的面孔侧翼任务时收集脑电图，该任务包括在每次试验的目标/侧翼箭头后面呈现与任务无关的、每次试验都不同的面孔。随后的偶然记忆评估评估了对错误事件的记忆偏差。社交焦虑症状的严重程度与MFC以及MFC与感觉皮层之间更大的与错误相关的θ同步性有关。社交焦虑与对错误事件的记忆偏差呈正相关。与在有偏差的认知加工中起机制性作用一致，在面孔侧翼任务期间，更大的与错误相关的MFC-感觉θ同步性预测了随后对错误事件的记忆偏差。我们的研究结果表明，社交焦虑程度高的个体对错误事件表现出记忆偏差，并且这种行为现象可能由与错误监测相关的与错误相关的MFC-感觉θ同步性驱动。此外，结果证明了一种新范式在阐明错误监测与社交焦虑之间关系的潜在机制方面的潜力。
