Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement

Individuals with depression may have alterations in attention that begin at the sub-threshold stage. This study explored attention bias from the perspectives of early attention orientation and late attention disengagement in individuals with sub-threshold depression (SD) and healthy control (HC) ind...

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Main Authors: Xin Zhang, Huibin Jia, Enguo Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/9/821
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author Xin Zhang
Huibin Jia
Enguo Wang
author_facet Xin Zhang
Huibin Jia
Enguo Wang
author_sort Xin Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Individuals with depression may have alterations in attention that begin at the sub-threshold stage. This study explored attention bias from the perspectives of early attention orientation and late attention disengagement in individuals with sub-threshold depression (SD) and healthy control (HC) individuals using a cue-target paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs). The study enrolled 46 participants, comprising 23 males and 23 females, with 25 individuals in the SD group and 21 in the HC group, exceeding the calculated sample size requirement. The data were analyzed from two aspects. Behavioral data showed that SD individuals had difficulty in attention disengagement and that the time of attention transfer was delayed. Analysis of ERP data revealed that, regardless of the attributes of the emotional stimulus, the cue information promoted participants’ response to the target stimulus. While SD individuals did show directional acceleration of attention to the emotional stimulus, no significant negative attention bias was observed. Taken together, these findings suggest that SD individuals do not show specific directional acceleration of attention to negative stimuli in the early stage of attention processing, although there may be attention avoidance.
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spelling doaj-art-54012c696e5844d496f689f0cf73e2312025-08-20T01:56:10ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-09-0114982110.3390/bs14090821Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and DisengagementXin Zhang0Huibin Jia1Enguo Wang2Faculty of Education, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, ChinaFaculty of Education, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, ChinaFaculty of Education, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, ChinaIndividuals with depression may have alterations in attention that begin at the sub-threshold stage. This study explored attention bias from the perspectives of early attention orientation and late attention disengagement in individuals with sub-threshold depression (SD) and healthy control (HC) individuals using a cue-target paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs). The study enrolled 46 participants, comprising 23 males and 23 females, with 25 individuals in the SD group and 21 in the HC group, exceeding the calculated sample size requirement. The data were analyzed from two aspects. Behavioral data showed that SD individuals had difficulty in attention disengagement and that the time of attention transfer was delayed. Analysis of ERP data revealed that, regardless of the attributes of the emotional stimulus, the cue information promoted participants’ response to the target stimulus. While SD individuals did show directional acceleration of attention to the emotional stimulus, no significant negative attention bias was observed. Taken together, these findings suggest that SD individuals do not show specific directional acceleration of attention to negative stimuli in the early stage of attention processing, although there may be attention avoidance.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/9/821inhibition of return (IOR)attention orientationattention disengagementevent-related potentials (ERPs)sub-threshold depression (SD)
spellingShingle Xin Zhang
Huibin Jia
Enguo Wang
Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
Behavioral Sciences
inhibition of return (IOR)
attention orientation
attention disengagement
event-related potentials (ERPs)
sub-threshold depression (SD)
title Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
title_full Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
title_fullStr Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
title_short Exploring Attention Bias Mechanisms in Sub-Threshold Depression: ERP Insights into Biased Orientation and Disengagement
title_sort exploring attention bias mechanisms in sub threshold depression erp insights into biased orientation and disengagement
topic inhibition of return (IOR)
attention orientation
attention disengagement
event-related potentials (ERPs)
sub-threshold depression (SD)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/9/821
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AT huibinjia exploringattentionbiasmechanismsinsubthresholddepressionerpinsightsintobiasedorientationanddisengagement
AT enguowang exploringattentionbiasmechanismsinsubthresholddepressionerpinsightsintobiasedorientationanddisengagement