Neurophysiology of compulsive buying: a preliminary study

The behavioural and cognitive phenomena associated with Compulsive Buying (CB) have been investigated frequently, but it’s neurophysiology has received less attention. Using substance addiction as an analogy, aspects of the neurophysiology of CB in executive processing, and cue-reactivity were investigated. 24 participants (M = 25.38, SD = 7.02) from a general population completed a visual Oddball paradigm, as well as a memory task with shopping items used as a cueing paradigm - participants rated their urges to buy shopping items after this memory task. Participants were separated into high and low CB symptoms, and analyses were performed on the P300 and alpha coherence’s for, and in a preferred, non-preferred, and preferred minus non-preferred item condition across numerous locations. The P300 was also analysed for the Oddball detection task at a central site. Manipulation checks were performed with mania and urges to buy. Greater activation was found in dorsal and ventral processing routes, left central and frontal areas for EEG coherences. A significant positive, left frontal P300 for those with greater CB tendencies was found in only the preferred minus non-preferred item condition. There were no significant differences in the Oddball paradigm. Different neurophysiological patterns exist with CB phenomena reflecting cue reactivity and perhaps episodic memory from increased arousal and attachment to items