Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) show an increased error-related negativity (ERN), yet previous studies have not controlled for medication use, which may be important given evidence linking performance monitoring to neurotransmitter systems targeted by treatment, such as serotonin. In an examination of 19 unmedicated OCD patients, 19 medicated OCD patients, 19 medicated patient controls without OCD, and 21 unmedicated healthy controls, we found greater ERNs in OCD patients than in controls, irrespective of medication use. Severity of generalized anxiety and depression was associated with ERN amplitude in controls but not patients. These data confirm previous findings of an exaggerated error response in OCD, further showing that it cannot be attributed to medication. The absence in patients of a relationship between ERN amplitude and anxiety/depression, as was found in controls, suggests that elevated error signals in OCD may be disorder-specific.

There has been a rapid increase in the development of technological innovations to reduce the escalation and impact of alcohol problems among adolescents and adults. Technology-based interventions offer the possibility of reaching individuals who otherwise might not seek treatment, (e.g., those in remote areas, those not perceiving a need for treatment, or others who may resist treatment). This article describes four case examples of technology-based interventions for risky drinking: 1) a freely available and interactive website that provides individualized feedback and information on risky drinking patterns; 2) a brief intervention for adolescents that provides individualized feedback to teens regarding their alcohol use; 3) a computer-delivered screening and brief intervention for alcohol use among pregnant women, and 4) a simulation program for training social workers in screening and brief intervention. These case examples highlight how technology may have a role in addressing the Alcohol Misuse Grand Challenge.

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