Feedback processing in adolescents with prenatal cocaine exposure: an electrophysiological investigation

ABSTRACT

Impaired cognitive control is a consequence of cocaine exposure. Difficulty with feedback processing may underlie this impairment. We examined neural correlates of feedback processing using event-related potentials (ERPs) in 49 prenatally cocaine-exposed (PCE) and 34 nondrug exposed (NDE) adolescents. Adolescents performed a reward-feedback task with win/no-win feedback in a chance-based task. We investigated amplitude and latency of the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P300 ERP components and source-based estimates elicited during feedback processing. PCE adolescents had smaller P300 amplitudes for no-win feedback, and source analysis in the P300 time window revealed differences between groups localized to the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.

Conflicts of Interest and Disclosures

The authors report no conflict of interest with respect to the content of this manuscript.

Dr. Potenza has consulted for and advised Lundbeck, Ironwood, Shire, INSYS Rivermend Health, Opiant/Lakelight Therapeutics, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals; received research support from the National Institutes of Health, Veteran’s Administration, Mohegan Sun Casino, the National Center for Responsible Gaming and its affiliated Institute for Research on Gambling Disorders, and Pfizer; participated in surveys, mailings, or telephone consultations related to drug addiction, impulse control disorders or other health topics; consulted for law offices and the federal public defender’s office in issues related to impulse control disorders; provides clinical care in the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services Program; performed grant reviews for the National Institutes of Health and other agencies; has guest-edited journal sections; given academic lectures in grand rounds, CME events and other clinical/scientific venues; and generated books or chapters for publishers of mental health texts. The other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this work included National Institute of Health grants, K01 DA034125 (MJC), T32 MH018268 (MJC), P50 DA09241, UL1-DE19586, RL1 AA017539, R01 DA006025, R01 DA017863, K05 DA020091, T32 DA007238, and R21 DA030665. KPM receives support from MH018268-31 and from K01DA042937, and MNP receives support from the National Center on Addictions and Substance Abuse. Beyond funding, the funding agencies had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.