Abstract
The feedback-related negativity (FRN) is a mid-frontal event-related potential (ERP) recorded in various cognitive tasks and associated with the onset of sensory feedback signaling decision outcome. Some properties of the FRN are still debated, notably its sensitivity to positive and negative reward prediction error (RPE)—i.e., the discrepancy between the expectation and the actual occurrence of a particular feedback,—and its role in triggering the post-feedback adjustment. In the present study we tested whether the FRN is modulated by both positive and negative RPE. We also tested whether an instruction cue indicating the need for behavioral adjustment elicited the FRN. We asked 12 human subjects to perform a problem-solving task where they had to search by trial and error which of five visual targets, presented on a screen, was associated with a correct feedback. After exploration and discovery of the correct target, subjects could repeat their correct choice until the onset of a visual signal to change (SC) indicative of a new search. Analyses showed that the FRN was modulated by both negative and positive prediction error (RPE). Finally, we found that the SC elicited an FRN-like potential on the frontal midline electrodes that was not modulated by the probability of that event. Collectively, these results suggest the FRN may reflect a mechanism that evaluates any event (outcome, instruction cue) signaling the need to engage adaptive actions.
Highlights
The evaluation and utilization of outcomes are crucial for the exploration and exploitation of resources available in the environment
We focused our analysis on two event-related potential (ERP): the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the P300
Based on published studies (Yeung and Sanfey, 2004; San Martin et al, 2010; Pfabigan et al, 2011; Cavanagh et al, 2012; Ferdinand et al, 2012), we focused our analyses on electrodes of interest, FCz, and PCz (Figure 2), to study the sensitivity of the FRN and the P300 to feedback valence and feedback expectation
Summary
The evaluation and utilization of outcomes are crucial for the exploration and exploitation of resources available in the environment. The initial, and still influential, Holroyd and Coles Reinforcement LearningERN model proposed that through the direct meso-cortical dopaminergic pathway a negative prediction error-signal disinhibits aMCC neurons, which thereby produce the cortical error signal (Holroyd and Coles, 2002). Some aspects of this theory have been challenged. Recent interpretations suggest that the aMCC feedback-related activity is involved in processing negative outcomes, but instead reflects a mechanism that evaluates outcomes and the associated need to engage different adaptive actions (Cohen et al, 2011; Amiez et al, 2012; Karlsson et al, 2012; Rushworth et al, 2012)
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