The Effects Of Cognitive Control Of Positive And Negative Emotions On Reward Processing And Depressive Symptoms

Background and Purpose: Depression is characterized by deficits in emotional cognitive control and impairment of reward processing.However,the relationship between cognitive control emotions and reward processing,and its effects on depressive symptoms are unknown.In order to explore the effects of cognitive control on positive and negative emotions on reward processing and depression,participants are randomly assigned across four different training conditions:(1)positive word working memory training,(2)negative emotion suppression working memory training,(3)positive attention bias training,and(4)positive attention placebo training.By manipulating the attention control of positive and negative emotions,the effects of cognitive control on reward processing and depression can be obtained.Methods: People with high risk of depression(i.e.college students who do not meet the diagnosis of depression disorder but have depressive symptoms lasting for 2 months or more)were randomly assigned to 4 training conditions(n=108),and all completed 10 training sessions within 2 weeks.The four groups of training methods are as follows:(1)Positive words working memory training(n=26): using visual positive words n-back task,positive words are presented on happy faces,according to the rules of the current stimulus material is the same as the first n words button.When the correct rate of response is ≥90%,the participants can choose to enter a higher level or to continue at the current level of training,Each block includes 20+n trials,total 15 blocks;(2)Negative emotion suppression working memory training(n=27): Use negative dual n-back tasks,including visual and auditory stimulus materials(as negative),and respond to keystrokes according to the rules;the program includes a total of 16 blocks,each block contains 20+n trials;(3)positive attention bias training(n=27),The dot-probe task presented both positive and neutral words,and then 90% of the probe points subsequently fell on the positive words.(4)positive attention placebo training(n=28)presented the same stimulus as positive attention bias,except that 90% of probe points fell on neutral words.Complete pretest and post-test training:(a)Probabilistic reward task,used to measure reward learning,(b)Emotional Stroop task,used to measure the effect of emotional interference when words and faces are consistent and inconsistent,(c)Self-reference encoding Task: Measure self-reference bias,and(d)evaluation of depression-related symptoms such as depression and rumination,and follow-up evaluation of depression symptoms at 2 weeks,4 weeks,6 weeks,and 8 weeks after training.Results:(1)Probabilistic Reward Tasks,the main effect of time is significant in response bias(F(1,566)= 4.18,P = 0.04;η2 = 0.007),and the post-test response bias score is significantly higher than the pre-test(p< 0.05).On the development bias index,the main effect of the group is significant(F(3,567)= 2.63,P = 0.049;η2 = 0.014),the simple effect shows the development bias of the positive word working memory training and negative emotion suppression working memory group Significant(or marginal significance)is greater than that of attention bias training placebo group(P =.01-.051);although the development bias index group × time interaction effect is not significant(F(1,567)=1.70,p=1.65),the post-test developmental bias(p=0.10)of the positive attention bias training group was significantly greater than the pre-test(p=0.01,p=.02),and there was no statistical difference between the other groups before and after training.(2)Emotional Stroop Task,in terms of reaction time(including emotional consistency and inconsistency),the group × time interaction effect is significant(F(3,71822)= 73.21,P<0.001,η2=0.003),simple effect analysis shows that the reaction time of the negative emotion suppression working memory training group and the positive attention bias training group,after training was significantly faster than before training(p<0.05).There was no significant difference in time between the positive attention bias and the placebo group,and the post-test response of the positive word working memory training group was slower than the pre-test.(3)Self-Reference Task,the post-test results show that the group main effect is significant when responding to positive and negative words(F(3,3163)= 3.30,P=0.02;η2=0.003),further simple effect analysis shows,Whether the negative words describe themselves,the reaction time of the positive word working memory training group and the negative emotion suppression working memory training group is significantly slower than the positive attention bias placebo group(p<0.05),the positive attention bias group and The difference in the placebo group was not significant.(4)The score of the depression scale,the group × time interaction effect between the four groups was not significant,and the main time effect of BDI-Ⅱ,RRS,and STAI before and after the test was significant(p<0.05).After training was significantly lower than before training,indicating that after training,participants’ depressive symptoms improved.Conclusion: Negative emotion suppresses working memory training and positive attention bias training,which enhances the participants’ ability to control positive or negative emotions.Positive attention bias training improves participants’ reward learning ability.There is no significant difference in short-term improvement of symptoms among the four kinds of training,and the long-term effects need to be further tracked.