Recovery of CNV area after nonresponse condition: inverted-U relation with arousal

The effect of motor-response recovery after a nonresponse condition on the CNV was investigated in relation to the MPI in 53 healthy adults. The control CNV area before the nonresponse condition had an inverted-U relation to the extraversion score. At the recovery condition the inverted-U relation between the CNV area and the extraversion score shifted toward the lower extraversion score in those subjects who showed a shortened reaction time: i.e., the introverts, particularly the dysthymiacs, responded with the larger CNV area at the recovery condition than at the control condition. These results suggest that the dysthymiacs who possibly have obsession and depression are at a high arousal level and compel attention to a repetitive event as habituating.