The Gambling Stroop Effect In High/Low Gambling Cognition Of University Students:an ERPs Study

Objective:In order to examine the effect of attentional biases on gambling stimuli in high and low gambling cognition of university students, this study used the gambling Stroop task to research the brain mechanisms of attentional biases in high and low gambling cognition ofuniversity students with ERPs. The aims of the present study were as follow:(1) To explore the feature of attentional bias of high and low gambling cognition of university students in behavioral results;(2) Combining the behavioral and ERPs results, to explore the brain mechanisms of attentional bias in high and low gambling cognition of university students.Method:60subjects selected from Changsha university with the Chinese of Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS-C) took part in the study:29high gambling cognition students,3llow gambling cognition students. We employed gambling Stroop task, and ask subjects to react. The behavioral and ERPs data were recorded during the task.Results:(1) behavioral results:The correct rate between the two groups were significant. The main effect of two groups were not significant (p>0.05). The main effect of words stimuli were significant (p＜0.001). Interaction of words and groups were not significant (p>0.05).(2) ERPs results:referring the average ERPs and previous study, we define the four ERPs components (N1、 P2、 N2、 LPC) and analysis of the peaks. N1components:the main effect of left and right brain regions were significant (p<0.05), the amplitude of right side electrode was significantly larger than midline and left side electrode; interaction of words stimuli、 groups and left-right brain regions were significant (p<0.05), in low score group, the greatest amplitude induced by words stimuli was in right brain regions. P2components:the main effect of words stimuli was marginal significant (p=0.066), the amplitude of gambling words were significantly larger than neutral words and positive words; the interaction of groups and left-right brain regions was significant (p<0.05), in low scor groups, the amplitude of right side electrode was significantly larger than midline and left side electrode. N2components:the main effect of words stimuli was significant (p<0.05), the amplitude of neutral words were smaller than gambling words、 negative words and positive words; the interaction of words stimuli and left-right brain regions was significant (p<0.01), the amplitude of the words induced in right side area were larger than midline and left side brain area. LPC components:the main effect of left-right brain regions was significant (p<0.001), the amplitude of midline side was significantly larger than left side and right side.Conclusions:(1) there are significant gambling Stroop effect in both groups;(2) The ERPs data suggested, both groups show attentional bias to gambling words and negative words. The result supported the addiction attentional bias theory and emotional negativity bias theory.(3) There were right brain lateralization phenomenon when low gambling cognition subjects show attentional bias to gambling words and emotional words, but not in high gambling cognition subjects. Whether the brain function of high gambling cognition subjects is defective, we need further study.