Associations between the late positive potential and PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among trauma-exposed undergraduates

The late positive potential (LPP) is a neural marker of attention to emotional stimuli; dysregulations in those attentional processes might contribute to trauma-related psychopathology. Although higher LPP amplitudes to negative images have been found to be associated with anxiety symptoms, results have been mixed regarding depressive and PTSD symptoms, especially among trauma-exposed populations. Further, the relationships between the LPP to positive and neutral images and psychopathology symptoms have been underexamined. The purpose of the current study was to test the effects of image valence, and PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms on LPP amplitude among trauma-exposed undergraduates. Seventy-three trauma-exposed undergraduates viewed a series of negative, positive, and neutral images while LPPs were recorded. Self-report measures were used to assess recent PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical linear modeling tested valence and symptom main effects, as well as Valence by Symptom interactions on LPP amplitude. We found a main effect of valence such that individuals exhibited higher LPP amplitudes to negative images compared to neutral images. We also found a Valence by Depressive Symptoms interaction such that there was an inverse relationship between depressive symptoms and the LPP to neutral images but no associations between depressive symptoms and the LPP for positive or negative images. We found no main effects or interactions for anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Depressive symptoms might be related to diminished attention to neutral stimuli among trauma-exposed undergraduates. Further investigation of the relationship between the LPP and psychopathology is needed.