Correct Response Negativity Amplitude Research Articles

Impaired insight and error-monitoring deficits among outpatients with attenuated psychosis syndrome and first-episode psychosis

We aimed to determine the relationship between electrophysiological signatures of error monitoring and clinical insight among outpatients with attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS) and first-episode psychosis (FEP). Error-related negativity (ERN), error positivity (Pe), and correct response negativity (CRN) were recorded during a modified flanker task for patients with FEP (n = 32), APS individuals (n = 58), and healthy controls (HC, n = 49). Clinical insight was measured using the Schedule of Assessment of Insight (SAI) and included awareness of illness (SAI-illness), relabeling of specific symptoms (SAI-symptoms), and treatment compliance (SAI-treatment). Compared with HC, patients with FEP showed smaller ERN (p < 0.001) and Pe (p = 0.011) amplitudes and individuals with APS showed smaller ERN amplitude (p = 0.009). No significant difference in CRN amplitude was observed among the groups. A smaller negative amplitude of ERN correlated with a lower score on SAI-symptoms (b = −0.032, 95% CI: 0.062 to −0.002, p = 0.035) and a decreased total score of SAI (b = −0.096, 95% CI: 0.182 to −0.010, p = 0.029). This links were adjusted for age, education, and diagnosis (a dummy variable with FEP = 1 and APS = 0), and was independent of positive symptoms. SAI-illness was predominantly influenced by diagnosis, whereas SAI-treatment was additionally affected by disorganized communications. Neither Pe nor CRN amplitude exhibited an association with clinical insight. Unconscious error detection, as indicated by ERN, may aid individuals at the preliminary stage of psychosis in recognizing the unusual symptoms.

Different Electrophysiological Signatures of Similarity-induced and Stroop-like Interference in Language Production.

Contextual similarity between targets and competitors, whether semantic or phonological, often leads to behavioral interference in language production. It has been assumed that resolving such interference relies on control processes similar to those involved in tasks such as Stroop. This article tests this assumption by comparing the electrophysiological signatures of interference resulting from a contextual similarity versus a Stroop-like manipulation. In blocks containing two items, participants repeatedly named pictures that were semantically related, phonologically related, or unrelated (contextual similarity manipulation). In straight blocks, the pictures were named by their canonical names. In reverse blocks, participants had to reverse the names (Stroop-like manipulation). Both manipulations led to behavioral interference, but with different electrophysiological profiles. Whole-scalp stimulus-locked and response-locked analyses of semantic and phonological similarity pointed to a system with global modularity with some degree of cascading and interactivity, whereas the effect of phase reversal was sustained and of the opposite polarity. More strikingly, a representational similarity analysis showed a biphasic pattern for Stroop-like reversal, with earlier higher similarity scores for the reverse phase flipping into lower scores ∼500 msec poststimulus onset. In contrast, contextual similarity induced higher similarity scores up to articulation. Finally, response-locked mediofrontal components indexing performance monitoring differed between manipulations. Correct response negativity's amplitude was lower in the phonological blocks, whereas a pre-correct response negativity component had higher amplitude in reverse versus straight blocks. These results argue against the involvement of Stroop-like control mechanisms in resolving interference from contextual similarity in language production.

Correct response negativity may reflect subjective value of reaction time under regulatory fit in a speed-rewarded task.

Error‐related negativity (ERN), an electroencephalogram (EEG) component following an erroneous response, has been associated with the subjective motivational relevance of error commission. A smaller EEG event, the correct response negativity (CRN), occurs after a correct response. It is unclear why correct behavior evokes a neural response similar to error commission. CRN might reflect suboptimal performance: in tasks where speed is motivationally relevant (i.e., incentivized), a correct but slow response may be experienced as a minor error. The literature is mixed on the relationship between CRN and response time (RT), possibly due to different motivational structures, tasks, or individual traits. We examined ERN and CRN in a go/no‐go task where correctness and speed were encouraged using a points‐based feedback system. A key individual trait, regulatory focus, describes a person's tendency to seek gains (promotion focus) and avoid losses (prevention focus). Trait regulatory focus was measured, and participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: points gain, points loss, and informative‐only feedback. Participants committed too few errors to reliably model ERN effects. CRN amplitude related to RT in all feedback conditions, with slower responses having larger CRN. Participants with stronger promotion focus had a more exaggerated RT/CRN relationship in the point gain condition, suggesting that regulatory fit influences the motivational relevance of speed and thus the negative subjective experience and CRN for slower responses. These findings are consistent with the claim that CRN reflects RT when RT is motivationally relevant and that the CRN/RT relationship reflects the degree of subjective motivational relevance.

Impaired error-related processing in patients with first-episode psychosis and subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis: An event-related potential study.

Impaired event-related potential (ERP) indices reflecting performance-monitoring systems have been consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia. However, whether these impairments exist from the beginning of the early phase of psychosis, such as in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, has not yet been clearly ascertained. Thirty-seven FEP patients, 22 CHR subjects, and 22 healthy controls (HC) performed a visual go/no-go task so that three ERP components associated with performance monitoring-error-related negativity (ERN), correct response negativity (CRN), and error positivity (Pe) -could be assessed. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with age and sex as covariates was used to compare ERN, CRN, and Pe across the groups. Repeated-measures ANOVA with age and sex as covariates revealed that compared with HC, FEP patients and CHR subjects showed significantly smaller ERN amplitudes at the Fz (F=4.980, P=0.009) and FCz (F=3.453, P=0.037) electrode sites. Neither CRN nor Pe amplitudes showed significant differences across the FEP, CHR, and HC groups. These findings suggest that performance monitoring is already compromised during the early course of psychotic disorders, evident in FEP patients and CHR subjects, as reflected in the reduced ERN amplitude. Considering these findings, ERN could serve as a potential indicator of early-stage psychosis.

S46. IMPAIRED ERROR-PROCESSING IN PATIENTS WITH FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: AN EVENT-RELATED POTENTIAL STUDY

BackgroundImpaired error/conflict monitoring as reflected in the event-related potentials (ERPs) has consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia. However, whether this impairment exist from the early phase of psychosis such as first-episode psychosis (FEP) is not yet been clearly reported. To investigate the presence of error/conflict monitoring deficit in early psychosis, we examined the error-related negativity (ERN), error-related positivity (Pe), and correct-response negativity (CRN) during the Go/Nogo task in the patients with FEP.Methods25 patients with and 25 age, sex matched healthy controls (HCs) were participated in electroencephalographic recording during the Go/Nogo task. Trials with error response was analyzed to define ERN at Fz electrode site and Pe at Pz electrode site. Trials with correct response was used for CRN analysis at Fz electrode site. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the amplitudes of ERP components between FEP and HC groups. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to reveal the relationship of altered ERP component with symptomatic severity in patients with schizophrenia.ResultsFEP patients showed significantly smaller ERN amplitude at Fz electrode site compared to HCs (t=-3.294, p=0.002). However, there was no difference of CRN (t=0.017, p=0.986) and Pe (t=1.806, p=0.077) amplitudes between FEP and HC groups. There was no significant correlation of symptomatic severity and ERN amplitude at Fz electrode site in FEP patients.DiscussionThese findings suggest that impairments in error/conflict monitoring as reflected by ERN amplitude exist from the early course of psychotic disorder. Future study with larger sample size and subjects at earlier phase such as clinical high risk for psychosis would be needed to confirm the findings of current study.

Action-Monitoring Alterations as Indicators of Predictive Deficits in Schizophrenia.

A flexible and dynamically adjustable behavior is crucial to adapt to a continuously changing environment. In order to optimally adapt, we need to learn from the consequences of our behavior. We usually learn through different kinds of prediction errors, which occur when we experience unexpected situations due to false predictions. With this literature review, we intended to contribute to current etiological models that ascribe various positive symptoms (particularly delusions and hallucinations) in patients with schizophrenia to false prediction errors and deficient predictive learning. We discuss alterations in the electrophysiological measure of the error-related negativity/error negativity (ERN/Ne) as a global deficit and a trait in schizophrenia, as they have been observed in different samples of patients with schizophrenia, in individuals at high-risk and individuals with subclinical schizotypal traits. As the ERN/Ne can itself be considered the result of predictive processes (evaluation of current action outcomes as worse than expected), we propose that the reported alterations indicate that patients suffering from schizophrenic illnesses fail to adequately classify the outcomes of their actions as better or worse than expected due to a deficit in self-monitoring. Furthermore, we discuss results in further action-monitoring components, such as the correct response negativity (CRN)-a smaller negativity elicited by correct responses; and error positivity (Pe)-a later positivity assumed to reflect conscious error processing. The reported results show normal Pe amplitudes and normal post-error adjustments (adaptations after committed error to improve performance), indicating an intact later and conscious processing. From the results of diminished differences between ERN/Ne and CRN amplitudes, we conclude a general predictive deficit in early aspects of self-monitoring associated with positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

A pilot study investigating the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on the electrophysiological correlates of working memory in patients with schizophrenia

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) exerts pro-cognitive effects in various populations. We evaluated the effect of tDCS on cognitive performance and its electrophysiological correlates in schizophrenia patients. Ten participants received 10 sessions of tDCS and performed cognitive performance tasks; error-related negativity and correct response negativity (CRN) were measured before and after tDCS. Verbal performance was improved by tDCS and strongly correlated with a reduced CRN amplitude. Despite the lack of sham control design and possible practice effects of cognitive tasks, we might conclude that CRN could be a modifiable electrophysiological correlate of cognitive improvement by tDCS.

Performance monitoring and response conflict resolution associated with choice stepping reaction tasks

Choice reaction requires response conflict resolution, and the resolution processes that occur during a choice stepping reaction task undertaken in a standing position, which requires maintenance of balance, may be different to those processes occurring during a choice reaction task performed in a seated position. The study purpose was to investigate the resolution processes during a choice stepping reaction task at the cortical level using electroencephalography and compare the results with a control task involving ankle dorsiflexion responses. Twelve young adults either stepped forward or dorsiflexed the ankle in response to a visual imperative stimulus presented on a computer screen. We used the Simon task and examined the error-related negativity (ERN) that follows an incorrect response and the correct-response negativity (CRN) that follows a correct response. Error was defined as an incorrect initial weight transfer for the stepping task and as an incorrect initial tibialis anterior activation for the control task. Results revealed that ERN and CRN amplitudes were similar in size for the stepping task, whereas the amplitude of ERN was larger than that of CRN for the control task. The ERN amplitude was also larger in the stepping task than the control task. These observations suggest that a choice stepping reaction task involves a strategy emphasizing post-response conflict and general performance monitoring of actual and required responses and also requires greater cognitive load than a choice dorsiflexion reaction. The response conflict resolution processes appear to be different for stepping tasks and reaction tasks performed in a seated position.

The content of lexical stimuli and self-reported physiological state modulate error-related negativity amplitude

The Error-Related Negativity (ERN) and Correct-Response Negativity (CRN) are brief event-related potential (ERP) components—elicited after the commission of a response—associated with motivation, emotion, and affect. The Error Positivity (Pe) typically appears after the ERN, and corresponds to awareness of having committed an error. Although motivation has long been established as an important factor in the expression and morphology of the ERN, physiological state has rarely been explored as a variable in these investigations. In the present study, we investigated whether self-reported physiological state (SRPS; wakefulness, hunger, or thirst) corresponds with ERN amplitude and type of lexical stimuli. Participants completed a SRPS questionnaire and then completed a speeded Lexical Decision Task with words and pseudowords that were either food-related or neutral. Though similar in frequency and length, food-related stimuli elicited increased accuracy, faster errors, and generated a larger ERN and smaller CRN than neutral words. Self-reported thirst correlated with improved accuracy and smaller ERN and CRN amplitudes. The Pe and Pc (correct positivity) were not impacted by physiological state or by stimulus content. The results indicate that physiological state and manipulations of lexical content may serve as important avenues for future research. Future studies that apply more sensitive measures of physiological and motivational state (e.g., biomarkers for satiety) or direct manipulations of satiety may be a useful technique for future research into response monitoring.

Poster #S149 DYSFUNCTIONAL EMOTION REGULATION AS A VULNERABILITY MARKER FOR PSYCHOSIS: THE TWINSSCAN CHINA STUDY

Intervention aimed at preventing schizophrenia may be most effective if targeted at specific, but modifiable, functional impairments that present during childhood. We have developed a novel method of screening community samples aged 9 to 12 years to identify children who present a triad of putative antecedents of schizophrenia (ASz), defined as 1) speech and/or motor development lags/problems; 2) internalizing, externalizing, and/or peer-relationship problems in the clinical range; and 3) psychotic-like experiences. This study examined whether ASz children display brain function abnormalities during error processing that are similar to those exhibited by adults with schizophrenia.Twenty-two ASz children and 26 typically developing (TD) children with no antecedents of schizophrenia completed an error-inducing Go/NoGo task during event-related potential recording. Group differences were examined in the amplitude and latency of four event-related potential components: the initial error-related negativity (ERN) and later error-positivity (Pe) elicited on false-alarm responses to NoGo trials, and the corresponding initial correct response negativity (CRN) and later correct response positivity (Pc) elicited during processing of correct responses to Go trials.Relative to TD children, ASz children were characterized by reduced ERN amplitude but unaffected CRN, Pe, and Pc amplitudes. No group differences were observed in the latency of any component.Children presenting a triad of putative antecedents of schizophrenia show error-processing dysfunction mimicking that observed in adults with schizophrenia using the same Go/NoGo paradigm. The ASz children displayed specific early error-processing deficits rather than a generalized deficit in self-monitoring.

Increased error-related brain activity in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential after an incorrect response that is thought to reflect activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and is often increased in patients with anxiety disorders. This study measured the ERN and correct response negativity (CRN) during an Eriksen flanker task to assess performance monitoring in 26 youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 13 youth with a non-OCD anxiety disorder consisting of either generalized anxiety disorder or separation anxiety disorder, and 27 age-matched healthy controls ranging in age from 8 to 16 years. Compared to healthy controls, ERN amplitude was significantly increased in patients with either OCD or a non-OCD anxiety disorder. There were no significant group differences in CRN amplitude. Treatment with a serotonergic antidepressant or cognitive-behavior therapy had no effect on the ERN in patients. Scores from the Child Behavior Checklist DSM-oriented anxiety problems scale had a significant correlation with ERN amplitude in all subjects. The results provide further evidence that the pathophysiology of OCD and some non-OCD anxiety disorders involves increased ACC activity and that the ERN may serve as a quantitative phenotype in genetic and longitudinal studies of these complex traits.

The effect of manipulating task difficulty on error-related negativity in individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Previous research has found that individuals with obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms show larger error-related negativity (ERN) and correct-response negativity (CRN) amplitudes than controls. Task difficulty was manipulated during a flanker task and a probabilistic learning task to determine the effect of difficulty on ERN and CRN amplitudes in those with high or low levels of OC symptoms. Increasing task difficulty during a flanker task attenuated ERN amplitudes and enhanced CRN amplitudes. Although larger ERN amplitudes were found in the high OC group compared to the low OC group during the easy flanker task, this group difference was no longer apparent during the difficult version of the flanker task. Increasing difficulty during the probabilistic learning task had no effect on group differences in ERN or CRN amplitudes. The results of this study suggest that the hyperactive error-monitoring activity associated with OC symptoms depends on the difficulty and type of task performed.

INCREASED ERROR-RELATED BRAIN ACTIVITY IN YOUTH WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND UNAFFECTED SIBLINGS

The pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves increased activity in cortico-striatal circuits connecting the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with other brain regions. The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential following an erroneous response and is thought to reflect ACC activity. This study was done to assess the ERN as a biomarker for OCD by comparing ERN amplitudes in pediatric OCD patients, unaffected siblings of pediatric OCD patients, and healthy controls. The ERN and correct response negativity (CRN) were measured during an Eriksen flanker task to assess performance monitoring in 40 youth with a lifetime diagnosis of OCD, 19 unaffected siblings of OCD patients, and 40 unrelated healthy comparison subjects ranging in age from 10 to 17 years. ERN and CRN amplitudes were compared between groups using linear regression by the generalized estimating equation method to account for correlated data. Compared to healthy controls, ERN amplitude was significantly increased in both pediatric OCD patients and unaffected siblings. There were no significant group differences in CRN amplitude. ERN amplitude in patients was unrelated to OCD symptom severity, current diagnostic status, or treatment effects. Increased error-related brain potentials were observed not only in pediatric OCD patients but also in unaffected siblings. The results provide evidence that enhanced error-related brain activity may serve as a biomarker for OCD in youth that is independent of the presence of clinical symptoms. The ERN may be a useful quantitative phenotype in genetic studies of OCD.

Error-Related Processing Dysfunction in Children Aged 9 to 12 Years Presenting Putative Antecedents of Schizophrenia

Intervention aimed at preventing schizophrenia may be most effective if targeted at specific, but modifiable, functional impairments that present during childhood. We have developed a novel method of screening community samples aged 9 to 12 years to identify children who present a triad of putative antecedents of schizophrenia (ASz), defined as 1) speech and/or motor development lags/problems; 2) internalizing, externalizing, and/or peer-relationship problems in the clinical range; and 3) psychotic-like experiences. This study examined whether ASz children display brain function abnormalities during error processing that are similar to those exhibited by adults with schizophrenia. Twenty-two ASz children and 26 typically developing (TD) children with no antecedents of schizophrenia completed an error-inducing Go/NoGo task during event-related potential recording. Group differences were examined in the amplitude and latency of four event-related potential components: the initial error-related negativity (ERN) and later error-positivity (Pe) elicited on false-alarm responses to NoGo trials, and the corresponding initial correct response negativity (CRN) and later correct response positivity (Pc) elicited during processing of correct responses to Go trials. Relative to TD children, ASz children were characterized by reduced ERN amplitude but unaffected CRN, Pe, and Pc amplitudes. No group differences were observed in the latency of any component. Children presenting a triad of putative antecedents of schizophrenia show error-processing dysfunction mimicking that observed in adults with schizophrenia using the same Go/NoGo paradigm. The ASz children displayed specific early error-processing deficits rather than a generalized deficit in self-monitoring.

State dependent changes in error monitoring in schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to determine if error negativity/error-related negativity (N e/ERN), error positivity (P e), correct response negativity (CRN) or correct response positivity (P c) amplitude are influenced by state changes in schizophrenia. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from nine schizophrenic patients while they performed a simple go/no-go task during the early stages of an acute episode and again following 6 weeks of treatment with antipsychotics. ERPs were also recorded from nine healthy participants while they performed the same task. Response-locked potentials were computed for errors of commission and for correct responses. Scores for reality distortion syndrome, psychomotor poverty syndrome and disorganization syndrome were determined for the schizophrenic participants before and after treatment using the Signs and Symptoms of Psychotic Illness (SSPI) Scale. N e/ERN amplitude was significantly reduced, compared with that in healthy participants, in the schizophrenic patients when acutely ill, and increased significantly following treatment. N e/ERN amplitude remained significantly larger in the healthy group than in the patients with schizophrenia after treatment. This study suggests that N e/ERN and CRN amplitude are modulated by clinical state in schizophrenia and provides further support to findings that decreased N e/ERN amplitude is a potentially useful trait marker for schizophrenia, while P c and P e amplitude are not abnormal.

Response-monitoring dysfunction in aging and Alzheimer’s disease: an event-related potential study

Executive control is a broad-reaching function that includes response monitoring and is likely implemented in the frontal lobes. Age- and dementia-related changes in response-monitoring were assessed during a Picture-Name Verification Task, using response-synchronized event-related potential (ERP) markers of response monitoring: the centrally oriented error-related negativity (ERN); the smaller and more frontally-oriented correct-response negativity (CRN); and the positivity associated with errors (Pe), a marker of error awareness. These were recorded from 10 younger and 10 older healthy controls, as well as 12 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Although the older and younger controls showed equivalent accuracy, error awareness (Pe), and relative ERN>CRN amplitude, aging was associated with slower behavioral responses and decreased ERN amplitude. Although dementia was associated with decreased accuracy, decreased ERN, and a loss of relative ERN>CRN amplitude, error awareness (Pe) remained somewhat intact in AD patients. In AD patients, CRN amplitude was affected by item certainty (assessed a week earlier), being larger to items that were idiosyncratically difficult for patients to name.