TY  - JOUR
AU  - Froböse, M.I.
AU  - Swart, J.C.
AU  - Cook, J.L.
AU  - Geurts, D.E.M.
AU  - Ouden, H.E.M. den
AU  - Cools, R.
PY  - 2018
UR  - https://hdl.handle.net/2066/198509
AB  - The catecholamines have long been associated with cognitive control and value-based decision-making. More recently, we proposed that the catecholamines might modulate value-based decision-making about whether or not to engage in cognitive control. We test this hypothesis by assessing effects of a catecholamine challenge in a large sample of young, healthy adults (n = 100) on the avoidance of a cognitively demanding control process: task switching. Prolonging catecholamine transmission by blocking reuptake with methylphenidate altered the avoidance, but not the execution of cognitive control. Crucially, these effects could be isolated by taking into account individual differences in trait impulsivity, so that participants with higher trait impulsivity became more avoidant of cognitive control, despite faster task performance. One implication of these findings is that performance-enhancing effects of methylphenidate may be accompanied by an undermining effect on the willingness to exert cognitive control. Taken together, these findings integrate hitherto segregated literatures on catecholamines' roles in value-based learning/choice and cognitive control.
TI  - Catecholaminergic modulation of the avoidance of cognitive control
EP  - 1781
SN  - 0096-3445
IS  - iss. 12
SP  - 1763
JF  - Journal of Experimental Psychology - General
VL  - vol. 147
PS  - 19 p.
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000523
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ouden, H.E.M. den
AU  - Swart, J.C.
AU  - Schmidt, K.
AU  - Fekkes, D.
AU  - Geurts, D.E.M.
AU  - Cools, R.
PY  - 2015
UR  - https://hdl.handle.net/2066/153477
AB  - RATIONALE: The neurotransmitter serotonin has long been implicated in the motivational control of behaviour. Recent theories propose that the role of serotonin can be understood in terms of an interaction between a motivational and a behavioural activation axis. Experimental support for these ideas, however, has been mixed. OBJECTIVES: In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of serotonin (5HT) in behavioural vigour as a function of incentive motivation. METHODS: We employed dietary acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) to lower the 5HT precursor tryptophan during the performance of a speeded visual discrimination task. Feedback valence and feedback probability were manipulated independently and cued prior to target onset. On feedback trials, fast correct responses led to either reward or avoidance of punishment, while slow or incorrect responses led to reward omission or punishment. RESULTS: We show that behavioural responding is inhibited under high incentive motivation (i.e. high-feedback probability) at baseline 5HT levels and that lowering these leads to behavioural disinhibition, while leaving accuracy unaffected. Surprisingly, there were no differential effects of motivational valence, with 5HT depletion releasing behavioural inhibition under both appetitive and aversive motivation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings extend current theories on the role of 5HT in behavioural inhibition by showing that reductions in serotonin lead to increased behavioural vigour only if there is a motivational drive to inhibit behaviour at baseline.
TI  - Acute serotonin depletion releases motivated inhibition of response vigour
EP  - 1312
SN  - 0033-3158
IS  - iss. 7
SP  - 1303
JF  - Psychopharmacology
VL  - vol. 232
PS  - 10 p.
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-014-3762-4
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ouden, H.E.M. den
AU  - Daw, N.D.
AU  - Schmidt, K.
AU  - Geurts, D.E.M.
AU  - Cools, R.
PY  - 2011
UR  - https://hdl.handle.net/2066/219158
TI  - Serotonin's role in behaviour: Aversion and/or inhibition?
SN  - 0006-3223
IS  - iss. 9 - Suppl.
SP  - 49S
JF  - Biological Psychiatry
VL  - vol. 69
PS  - 1 p.
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.03.030
ER  -