ERP Neurobehavioral Assessment of Negative Reinforcement in Adolescents

说明(申请人提供)：尽管作出了大规模的公共卫生努力，但青少年药物使用和新出现的依赖问题仍在继续。为了加强预防工作，理论家们试图了解导致青少年滥用药物的原因和维持的因素。几种趋同的理论观点表明，减少或避免厌恶的内部状态(即负强化)强烈地刺激成瘾药物的使用。事实上，成人和青少年的文献支持负强化过程在物质使用开始和依赖中的作用。尽管物质滥用的负强化模型被广泛接受，但该领域目前缺乏足够的行为策略来评估人类负强化过程的复杂性。此外，支持负强化过程的神经系统在人类中还没有得到很好的研究。因此，开发适当的行为评估策略，特别是那些由神经成像因素提供信息的策略，可以帮助我们更好地理解人脑参与的过程范围，以避免令人厌恶的结果。从一个解决物质使用的积极强化方面的经过充分验证的行为任务(气球模拟风险任务，BART)开始，这个R21应用程序的目标是开发一个专注于消极强化过程的任务的平行版本(BART-NR)。此外，这项研究计划将解决单独使用行为测量的局限性，因为它通常限于描述水平。为了解决这个问题，我们提出了使用高密度脑电的新的负强化BART的开发，这项工作为未来使用fMRI方法的工作奠定了基础。我们将从10名参与者的试点测试开始，为一项更大的研究制定和完善方法和程序，该研究有145名年龄在15岁到17岁之间的青少年受试者，以检查在我们的负面强化任务中潜在的行为的神经生理(密集阵列EEG)因素。我们的方法提供了一个超越描述的机会，可以理解青少年物质使用和相关危险行为背后的积极和消极强化过程的累积影响。除了在更基本的层面上增加知识，这项工作还可能对为有药物使用风险的青少年开发更有效和有针对性的干预措施产生更长期的应用影响；具体地说，对那些使用药物或其他危险行为作为减少厌恶负面影响的人。 与公共健康相关：目前的行为任务侧重于物质使用的食欲和积极强化方面，但在很大程度上忽视了消极强化的关键平行过程。这项应用的目标是开发一种全面的行为和神经生理学评估方法，以了解负强化在青少年物质使用中的作用，重点放在当前脑电方法的使用和适合功能磁共振成像的长期版本的开发上。除了在更基本的层面上增加知识，这项工作还可能对为有药物使用风险的青少年开发更有效和有针对性的干预措施产生更长期的应用影响；具体地说，对那些使用药物或其他危险行为作为减少厌恶负面影响的人。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite large-scale public health efforts, the problem of adolescent substance use and emerging dependence continues. To enhance prevention efforts, theorists have sought to understand factors that contribute to the etiology and maintenance of adolescent substance misuse. Several converging theoretical perspectives suggest that the reduction or avoidance of aversive internal states (i.e., negative reinforcement) strongly motivates addictive drug use. Indeed, the adult and adolescent literatures support the role of negative reinforcement processes in both substance use initiation and dependence. Despite the widespread acceptance of negative reinforcement models of substance misuse, the field currently lacks adequate behavioral strategies to assess the complex nature of negative reinforcement processes in humans. Moreover, the neural systems that support negative reinforcement processes have not been well studied in humans. Thus, development of adequate behavioral assessment strategies, especially those informed by neuroimaging considerations, can aid in improving our understanding of the range of processes engaged by the human brain to avoid aversive outcomes. Starting with a well-validated behavioral task that addresses the positive reinforcement aspects of substance use (Balloon Analogue Risk Task, BART), the goal of this R21 application is to develop a parallel version of the task focused on negative reinforcement processes (BART-NR). Moreover, this program of research will address the limitation of behavioral measurement when used alone, in that it is restricted typically to the level of description. To address this issue, we propose the development of the new negative reinforcement BART using high density EEG, with this work setting the stage for future work using fMRI methods. We will begin with a pilot test using 10 participants to develop and refine the methods and procedures for a larger study adequately powered with 145 adolescent subjects, aged between 15 and 17 years, to examine neurophysiological (dense array EEG) factors underlying behavior on our negative reinforcement task. Our approach provides an opportunity to move beyond description into understanding the cumulative influence of positive and negative reinforcement processes underlying adolescent substance use and associated risk behavior. In addition to adding to knowledge at a more basic level, this work also may have more long-range applied implications for the development of more effective and targeted interventions for adolescents at risk for substance use; specifically, those for whom substance use or other risky behaviors serve as a means to reduce aversive negative affect. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Current behavioral tasks focus on the appetitive and positive reinforcement aspects of substance use but largely ignore the crucial parallel processes of negative reinforcement. The goal of this application is to develop a comprehensive behavioral and neurophysiological assessment approach for understanding the role of negative reinforcement in adolescent substance use, with a focus on the current use of EEG methods and longer-term development of an fMRI-appropriate version. In addition to adding to knowledge at a more basic level, this work also may have more long-range applied implications for the development of more effective and targeted interventions for adolescents at risk for substance use; specifically, those for whom substance use or other risky behaviors serve as a means to reduce aversive negative affect.