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. 2014 Sep;45(5):640-50.
doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2014.01.006. Epub 2014 Jan 30.

Behavioral approach system sensitivity and risk taking interact to predict left-frontal EEG asymmetry

Chelsea L Black  1 , Kim E Goldstein  2 , Denise R LaBelle  2 , Christopher W Brown  2 , Eddie Harmon-Jones  3 , Lyn Y Abramson  4 , Lauren B Alloy  2
Affiliations

Behavioral approach system sensitivity and risk taking interact to predict left-frontal EEG asymmetry

Chelsea L Black et al. Behav Ther. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

The Behavioral Approach System (BAS) hypersensitivity theory of bipolar disorder (BD; Alloy & Abramson, 2010; Depue & Iacono, 1989) suggests that hyperreactivity in the BAS results in the extreme fluctuations of mood characteristic of BD. In addition to risk conferred by BAS hypersensitivity, cognitive and personality variables may play a role in determining risk. We evaluated relationships among BAS sensitivity, risk taking, and an electrophysiological correlate of approach motivation, relative left-frontal electroencephalography (EEG) asymmetry. BAS sensitivity moderated the relationship between risk taking and EEG asymmetry. More specifically, individuals who were high in BAS sensitivity showed left-frontal EEG asymmetry regardless of their level of risk-taking behavior. However, among individuals who were moderate in BAS sensitivity, risk taking was positively associated with asymmetry. These findings suggest that cognitive and personality correlates of bipolar risk may evidence unique contributions to a neural measure of trait-approach motivation. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords: behavioral approach system; bipolar disorder; left-frontal EEG asymmetry; risk taking.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Risk taking on the BART interacts with BAS risk group to predict left-frontal EEG asymmetry controlling for time to EEG session and ISS Activation. BART = Balloon Analogue Risk Task; risk = BAS risk group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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