Abstract
The present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate deficits in error-monitoring by college students with schizotypal traits. Scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) were used to categorize the participants into schizotypal-trait (n = 17) and normal control (n = 20) groups. The error-monitoring abilities of the participants were evaluated using the Simon task, which consists of congruent (locations of stimulus and response are the same) and incongruent (locations of stimulus and response are different) conditions. The schizotypal-trait group committed more errors on the Simon task and exhibited smaller error-related negativity (ERN) amplitudes than did the control group. Additionally, ERN amplitude measured at FCz was negatively correlated with the error rate on the Simon task in the schizotypal-trait group but not in the control group. The two groups did not differ in terms of correct-related potentials (CRN), error positivity (Pe) and correct-related positivity (Pc) amplitudes. The present results indicate that individuals with schizotypal traits have deficits in error-monitoring and that reduced ERN amplitudes may represent a biological marker of schizophrenia.
Highlights
Error-monitoring is defined as the ability to monitor one’s own behavior, such as detecting errors and correcting or adjusting one’s behavior to achieve the intended purposes [1,2]
Previous studies have reported that patients with schizophrenia exhibited longer response times and made more errors or reduced error-related negativity (ERN) [38] compared with normal controls
The present findings are consistent with previous studies investigating the error-monitoring abilities of patients with schizophrenia, which have reported more errors on the Simon task [37] and reduced ERN amplitudes but comparable Pe amplitudes in patients with schizophrenia [8, 20, 38]
Summary
Error-monitoring is defined as the ability to monitor one’s own behavior, such as detecting errors and correcting or adjusting one’s behavior to achieve the intended purposes [1,2]. Morris et al [7] and Kim et al [20] investigated error-monitoring in patients with schizophrenia using the Flanker task and the Stroop task, respectively, and found significantly reduced ERN and augmented CRN amplitudes in patients with schizophrenia than in normal controls. Poli et al [9] observed reduced activation of the ACC while patients with schizophrenia were committing errors and suggested that this indicates that these patients experience difficulties in detecting errors. Previous studies have reported that patients with schizophrenia exhibited longer response times and made more errors (i.e., a higher Simon effect [37]) or reduced ERN [38] compared with normal controls. We hypothesized that individuals with schizotypal traits would exhibit longer response times, commit more errors on the Simon task, and demonstrate reduced ERN and Pe amplitudes compared with normal controls. Ours is the first study to use ERPs and the Simon task to investigate error-monitoring in non-clinical individuals with schizotypal traits
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