Comparison of Intentional Inhibition and Reactive Inhibition in Adolescents and Adults: An ERP Study

ABSTRACT

In contrast to reactive inhibition, intentional inhibition is the internally generated decision to “stop” without any external signals. Whether adults and adolescents’ neural correlates on these two inhibitions have any differences is still unknown. We measured 20 adults and 21 adolescents’ ERP-related N2 using a free-choice Go/Nogo task. The results of the adult’s group showed that the mean amplitude and peak latency of intentional Nogo-N2 did not differ from the reactive Nogo-N2. In contrast, the mean amplitude and peak latency for reactive Nogo-N2 in the adolescent group was significantly greater than what was observed for the intentional Nogo-N2. Comparison across groups revealed that the mean amplitude and peak latency of reactive Nogo-N2 were significantly greater in adolescents than in adults, while intentional Nogo-N2 did not differ between groups. These findings may indicate that adolescents lack of self-control is more reflected in reactive inhibition, if adolescents decide whether to do, they will be as good as adults.

Disclosure Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was sponsored and funded by The Education Department of Liaoning Province of China [LJ2019015, W201783662]; National Office for Education Sciences Planning of China [DHA190373]; Liaoning Social Science Fundation of China [L16WSZ009]; and Liaoning Provincial Federation Social Science Circles of China [20181s1ktqn-038].