The influence of negative affect on the neural correlates of cognitive control

Negative affect can be associated with the disruption of processes supporting cognitive control. The current study investigated the hypothesis that chronic negative affect is associated with a decrease in the utilization of proactive control and an increase in reliance on reactive control. Individuals performed the counting Stroop task while event-related brain potentials were recorded. Negative affect, as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory II, was associated with a decrease in the amplitude of a pre-stimulus slow wave and an increase in the amplitude of the medial frontal negativity, and was weakly related to the amplitude of the conflict sustained potential. These findings lead to the suggestion that negative affect may attenuate the engagement of processes associated with both proactive and reactive cognitive control.