How the brain prevents a second error in a perceptual decision-making task.

Rinaldo Livio Perri,Marika Berchicci,Giuliana Lucci,Francesco Di Russo,Donatella Spinelli

doi:10.1038/srep32058

Abstract

In cognitive tasks, error commission is usually followed by a performance characterized by post-error slowing (PES) and post-error improvement of accuracy (PIA). Three theoretical accounts were hypothesized to support these post-error adjustments: the cognitive, the inhibitory, and the orienting account. The aim of the present ERP study was to investigate the neural processes associated with the second error prevention. To this aim, we focused on the preparatory brain activities in a large sample of subjects performing a Go/No-go task. The main results were the enhancement of the prefrontal negativity (pN) component -especially on the right hemisphere- and the reduction of the Bereitschaftspotential (BP) -especially on the left hemisphere- in the post-error trials. The ERP data suggested an increased top-down and inhibitory control, such as the reduced excitability of the premotor areas in the preparation of the trials following error commission. The results were discussed in light of the three theoretical accounts of the post-error adjustments. Additional control analyses supported the view that the adjustments-oriented components (the post-error pN and BP) are separated by the error-related potentials (Ne and Pe), even if all these activities represent a cascade of processes triggered by error-commission.

Highlights

Studies conducted with Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shed light on the neural substrates of post-error adjustments, especially on the engagement of the PFC and premotor regions in the behavioral slowdown[12,14,19]; due to the low temporal resolution, this technique does not always allow to distinguish between the error-detection processing and the following adjustment mechanisms[19]
Since theta oscillations are supposed to reflect the error-detection process[21], we can hypothesize that the relationship between theta power and post-error adjustments is not direct, but could be mediated by an additional processing occurring later than that described by Cavanagh and colleagues[20]. This hypothesis is supported by the inconsistency among event-related potential (ERP) results: some studies reported an association between post-error slowing (PES) and Ne6,22–24, while others found a correlation between PES and Pe4,25,26
These contradictory findings could be partly explained by the results of Marco-Pallarés and colleagues[9], who reported an association between the increased frontal-central beta activity at 600–800 ms after the error (i.e., 400 ms after the Pe) and the behavioral slowdown, suggesting that motor inhibition processes occur after the error and may account for the PES

Summary

Introduction

Studies conducted with fMRI shed light on the neural substrates of post-error adjustments, especially on the engagement of the PFC and premotor regions in the behavioral slowdown[12,14,19]; due to the low temporal resolution, this technique does not always allow to distinguish between the error-detection processing and the following adjustment mechanisms[19]. Since theta oscillations are supposed to reflect the error-detection process[21], we can hypothesize that the relationship between theta power and post-error adjustments is not direct, but could be mediated by an additional processing occurring later than that described by Cavanagh and colleagues[20] This hypothesis is supported by the inconsistency among ERP results: some studies reported an association between PES and Ne6,22–24, while others found a correlation between PES and Pe4,25,26. It is noteworthy that the ERP investigation of post-error adjustment mechanisms is possible only if error-related potentials (Ne and Pe) do not overlap with preparatory activities of post-error trials To verify this prerequisite, we performed control analyses confirming that the present paradigm does allow isolating two sets of consecutive processing: the first, related to the detection of the previous error, the second, to the preparation of the current trial. Since previous studies found a positive relationship between the amplitude of the N1 and P1 potentials, and the speed and accuracy performance respectively[30,37], we investigated whether the post-error behavior might be partially mediated at the visual processing level

Methods

Results

Conclusion