Error-related Negativity Research Articles

Effects of Alcohol on EEG Activity: A Systematic Review Focused on Sex-Related Differences in Youth.

Most electroencephalographic (EEG) investigations on alcohol have focused on adults, and scarce data is available about the potential of EEG measurements to detect young people at high-risk, as well as, to understand possible sex differences in alcohol impact on the brain. This systematic review aimed to explore sex-related differences in EEG among young people with alcohol misuse, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and offspring of families with AUD. A systematic review of the literature was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Review protocol was registered in Prospero (ID: CRD42024511471). After article selection process and quality assessment, 25 studies were included in our review. The search included participants between 12 and 30 years old with problematic alcohol consumption, as defined by DSM, AUDIT, or specific alcohol misuse questionnaires. It seems that beta was generally higher in young males with AUD, and they usually exhibited greater interhemispheric connectivity (interHC), whereas young females with AUD tended towards enhanced intraHC. P3 appears to be particularly sensitive to alcohol misuse, with males typically exhibiting a lower amplitude than young females. Other event related potentials (ERPs) such as N415, P640, and the error-related negativity (ERN) lacked sufficient methodological support to draw conclusions regarding sex differences, N340 and P540 suggested avenues for expanding research on memory processing, indicating differences in amplitude between males and females. Considering sex variables in clinical research will enhance our understanding of alterations in brain function and structure with the goal of tailoring treatment strategies for AUD.

Multiple risk markers for increases in depression symptoms across two years: Evidence from the Reward Positivity and the Error-Related Negativity

BackgroundBoth a blunted Reward Positivity (RewP) and Error-Related Negativity (ERN) have been associated with depression. Associations between these neural markers and depression have been observed cross-sectionally, but evidence that they can prospectively predict the development of, or increases in, symptoms of depression is more limited. MethodIn this study, we collected EEG data from 157 young adults at a baseline visit (T1), using the Doors and Flanker Tasks to elicit the RewP and the ERN respectively. Participants also reported on symptoms of depression at T1, and multiple times across two academic years (T2 – T8). ResultsUsing a multilevel model with the RewP and the ERN as predictors, we found that the RewP predicted future symptoms of depression, while controlling for symptoms of depression at T1, such that a blunted RewP at baseline predicted higher depressive symptoms later. In our data, however, the ERN was not a significant predictor of increases in depression symptoms. ConclusionsThese findings replicate previous work showing the RewP prospectively predicted increases in depression, and further suggest the specificity of this association. Results support the utility of the RewP as a neurophysiological marker that can help clarify the etiology of depression and inform treatment planning.

Aberrant error monitoring in traumatic brain injuries: A meta-analysis of event-related potential studies

ObjectiveAlthough individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often manifest altered error monitoring, evidence using event-related potentials (ERPs) to index these cortical processes is inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis study aimed to comprehensively compare the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) between individuals with TBI and healthy controls (HC) from the existing literature. MethodsLiterature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The effect sizes (Hedges' g) in the comparisons of ERN and Pe amplitudes between TBI and HC groups were employed by a random-effect, inverse-variance weighted model. The effects of age, TBI severity and experimental tasks on both ERP components were also examined. ResultsRandom-effect models showed decreased ERN (g = 0.361, p = 0.010), but intact Pe (g = 0.105, p = 0.443), in those with TBI compared to HC. A further analysis revealed that the adult patients (g = 0.326, p = 0.038), but not the youth patients, showed significant reduction of ERN as compared to the HC. However, we did not find moderating effects of TBI severity and experimental paradigms on either ERN or Pe. ConclusionsERN and Pe reflect separate neurophysiological mechanisms and different aspects of error monitoring in TBI. Our findings suggest that attenuated ERN amplitude may be an electrophysiological parameter of error monitoring deficits in TBI.

Psychometrics of drift-diffusion model parameters derived from the Eriksen flanker task: Reliability and validity in two independent samples.

The flanker task is a widely used measure of cognitive control abilities. Drift-diffusion modeling of flanker task behavior can yield separable parameters of cognitive control-related subprocesses, but the parameters' psychometrics are not well-established. We examined the reliability and validity of four behavioral measures: (1) raw accuracy, (2) reaction time (RT) interference, (3) NIH Toolbox flanker score, and (4) two drift-diffusion model (DDM) parameters-drift rate and boundary separation-capturing evidence accumulation efficiency and speed-accuracy trade-off, respectively. Participants from two independent studies - one cross-sectional (N = 381) and one with three timepoints (N = 83) - completed the flanker task while electroencephalography data were collected. Across both studies, drift rate and boundary separation demonstrated comparable split-half and test-retest reliability to accuracy, RT interference, and NIH Toolbox flanker score, but better incremental convergent validity with psychophysiological measures (i.e., the error-related negativity; ERN) and neuropsychological measures of cognitive control than the other behavioral indices. Greater drift rate (i.e., faster and more accurate responses) to congruent and incongruent stimuli, and smaller boundary separation to incongruent stimuli were related to 1) larger ERN amplitudes (in both studies) and 2) faster and more accurate inhibition and set-shifting over and above raw accuracy, reaction time, and NIH Toolbox flanker scores (in Study 1). Computational models, such as DDM, can parse behavioral performance into subprocesses that exhibit comparable reliability to other scoring approaches, but more meaningful relationships with other measures of cognitive control. The application of these computational models may be applied to existing data and enhance the identification of cognitive control deficits in psychiatric disorders.

A network analysis of affective and motivational individual differences and error monitoring in a non-clinical sample.

Error monitoring, which plays a crucial role in shaping adaptive behavior, is influenced by a complex interplay of affective and motivational factors. Understanding these associations often proves challenging due to the intricate nature of these variables. With the aim of addressing previous inconsistencies and methodological gaps, in this study, we utilized network analysis to investigate the relationship between affective and motivational individual differences and error monitoring. We employed six Gaussian Graphical Models on a non-clinical population ($N$ = 236) to examine the conditional dependence between the amplitude of response-related potentials (error-related negativity; correct-related negativity) and 29 self-report measures related to anxiety, depression, obsessive thoughts, compulsive behavior, and motivation while adjusting for covariates: age, handedness, and latency of error-related negativity and correct-related negativity. We then validated our results on an independent sample of 107 participants. Our findings revealed unique associations between error-related negativity amplitudes and specific traits. Notably, more pronounced error-related negativity amplitudes were associated with increased rumination and obsessing, and decreased reward sensitivity. Importantly, in our non-clinical sample, error-related negativity was not directly associated with trait anxiety. These results underscore the nuanced effects of affective and motivational traits on error processing in healthy population.

Error monitoring under working memory load: Anelectrocortical investigation.

Error monitoring is essential for detecting errors and may facilitate behavioral adjustments that can reduce or prevent future errors. At times, error monitoring must occur while individuals are engaged in other, cognitively demanding tasks that might consume processing resources necessary for error monitoring. Here, we set out to determine whether concurrent working memory (WM) load interferes with error monitoring, as measured using event-related potentials, the error-related negativity (Ne/ERN), and error positivity (Pe). Fifty-four participants (n = 33 female) completed an arrowhead flanker task, with trials presented under low (2 letter) or high (6 letter) WM load. Participants were required to hold letter strings in memory and to recall these letters at the end of a set of flanker trials. Results showed that WM load reduced the Pe but did not affect the Ne/ERN. Therefore, WM load appeared to attenuate later, more elaborated stages of error processing, though initial error detection was unaffected. Additionally, high WM load slowed reaction times overall, but did not lead to a significant increase in errors. As such, slower responses may have helped participants maintain comparable accuracy for low-load versus high-load trials. Overall, results indicate that WM load interferes with the evaluation of error significance, which could interfere with behavioral adaptations over time.

The burden of brooding on neural error processing: The role of repetitive negative thinking in major depressive disorder with and without comorbid anxiety disorders

BackgroundRepetitive negative thinking (RNT), particularly its brooding aspect, is a prominent feature in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with and without comorbid anxiety. Error processing, an adaptive cognitive operation, seems to be impaired in individuals with exaggerated RNT. This study measured a post-error neural response, error-related negativity (ERN), during an inhibitory task to examine the mechanism underlying the relationship between RNT and faulty error processing. MethodsWe examined current MDD patients with (n = 61) and without comorbid anxiety disorders (COM; n = 38), propensity-matched into High- or Low-RNT groups according to Ruminative Response Scale Brooding subscale scores. Using 32-channel electroencephalography (EEG) during a stop-signal task, we measured baseline-corrected ERN amplitude at FCz 0–100 ms after an incorrect response. A between-subjects ANOVA was conducted with group (High RNT, Low RNT) and comorbidity (MDD, COM) as factors. ResultsA significant group-by-comorbidity interaction (η2 = 0.07) was found, with MDD participants exhibiting high RNT revealing smaller (more positive) ERN amplitudes compared to their COM counterparts with high RNT (d = 0.77) and MDD participants with low RNT (d = 0.92). ConclusionsNon-anxious individuals with MDD and high RNT showed blunted post-error neural responses, potentially indicating a diminished adaptive neural mechanism for recognizing and correcting errors. However, the presence of comorbid anxiety disorders in individuals with high RNT appears to counteract this reduction, potentially through an enhanced neural response to errors, thereby maintaining a higher level of error-processing activity. Further understanding of these relationships is essential for developing targeted interventions for MDD, with particular focus on the detrimental impact of brooding RNT.

Characterizing within-person variance in, and menstrual cycle associations with, event-related potentials associated with positive and negative valence systems: The reward positivity and the error-related negativity

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely employed as measures of transdiagnostic cognitive processes that are thought to underlie various clinical disorders (Hajcak et al., 2019). Despite their prevalent use as individual difference measures, the effects of within-person processes, such as the human menstrual cycle, on a broad range of ERPs are poorly understood. The present study leveraged a within-subject design to characterize between- and within-person variance in ERPs as well as effects of the menstrual cycle in two frequently studied ERPs associated with positive and negative valence systems underlying psychopathology—the Reward Positivity (RewP) and the Error- Related Negativity (ERN). Seventy-one naturally-cycling participants completed repeated EEG and ecological momentary assessments of positive and negative affect in the menstrual cycle's early follicular, periovulatory, and mid-luteal phases. We examined the mean degree of change between cycle phases in both ERPs, the between-person variability in the degree of change in both ERPs, and whether an individual’s degree of cyclical change in these ERPs show coherence with their degree of cyclical change in positive and negative affect recorded across the cycle. Results revealed no significant changes in positive and negative affect across the cycle and rather small changes in ERP amplitudes. Significant random slopes in our model revealed larger individual differences in trajectories of change in ERP amplitudes and affect, in agreement with prior evidence of heterogeneity in dimensional hormone sensitivity. Additionally, state-variance in these ERPs correlated with positive and negative affect changes across the cycle, suggesting that cycle-mediated ERP changes may have relevance for affect and behavior. Finally, exploratory latent class growth mixture modeling revealed subgroups of individuals that display disparate patterns of change in ERPs that should be further investigated.

Central and peripheral physiological responses to decision making in hoarding disorder

Individuals with hoarding disorder (HD) have difficulty parting with personal possessions, which leads to the accumulation of excessive clutter. According to a proposed biphasic neurobiological model, HD is characterized by blunted central and peripheral nervous system activity at rest and during neutral (non-discarding) decisions, and exaggerated activity during decision-making about discarding personal possessions. Here, we compared the error-related negativity (ERN) and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance, heart rate and heart rate variability, and end tidal CO2) during neutral and discarding-related decisions in 26 individuals with HD, 37 control participants with anxiety disorders, and 28 healthy control participants without psychiatric diagnoses. We also compared alpha asymmetry between the HD and control groups during a baseline resting phase. Participants completed a series of Go/No Go decision-making tasks, one involving choosing certain shapes (neutral task) and the other involving choosing images of newspapers to imaginally “discard” (discarding task). While all participants showed expected increased frontal negativity to commission of an error, contrary to hypotheses, there were no group differences in the ERN or any psychophysiological measures. Alpha asymmetry at rest also did not differ between groups. The findings suggest that the ERN and psychophysiological responses may not differ in individuals with HD during simulated discarding decisions relative to control participants, although the null results may be explained by methodological challenges in using Go/No Go tasks as discarding tasks. Future replication and extension of these results will be needed using ecologically valid discarding tasks.

The Balance N1 Is Larger in Children With Anxiety and Associated With the Error-Related Negativity

BackgroundThe error-related negativity (ERN) is a brain response evoked by mistakes on cognitive tasks that is enhanced with anxiety and can predict the subsequent onset or exacerbation of anxiety in children and adolescents. A physical disturbance to standing balance evokes a brain response called the balance N1 that resembles the ERN in scalp topography and in response to a variety of moderating factors. We recently found that the balance N1 and ERN correlate in amplitude across small adult samples. MethodsIn the current study, we tested the effect of anxiety on the balance N1 in children (ages 9–12 years) with and without diagnosed anxiety disorders (38 children with generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder and 50 children without these disorders). We measured the balance N1 in response to sudden release of support from a forward leaning posture, the ERN in response to mistakes on a Go/NoGo task, and anxiety symptoms using child- and parent-report forms of the Screen for Child Anxiety and Related Emotional Disorders. ResultsBoth the balance N1 and the ERN were larger in the anxious group. The balance N1 was also associated with both the ERN and parent report of child anxiety symptom severity across individuals. ConclusionsThe higher measurement reliability of the balance N1 than the ERN and greater experimental control over errors suggest that balance paradigms may provide a more powerful method for investigating individual differences in error-related brain activity related to anxiety.

Intraindividual Variability of Event-Related Potentials in Psychosis: A Registered Report

BackgroundNeurophysiological tools have yielded valuable insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of psychosis. However, studies using event-related potentials (ERPs) primarily focus on mean scores and neglect within-person variability of ERP scores. The neglect of within-person variability of ERPs in the search for biomarkers might result in missed crucial differences related to psychosis. This registered report aimed to determine whether distinct patterns of intraindividual variability in ERP biomarkers are observed in people with a lifetime psychosis diagnosis. MethodsPublicly available data posted to the NIMH Data Archive for 1R01MH110434-01 was obtained for 162 patients with a lifetime history of psychosis and 178 never-psychotic controls. Participants completed tasks that measured auditory mismatch negativity (MMN), P300, error-related negativity (ERN), and reward positivity (RewP). Multilevel location-scale models were used to determine whether patients show greater intraindividual variability of ERP scores than controls. ResultsContrary to predictions, groups did not differ in within-person variability of MMN-frequency, P3, or ERN; patients showed less variability in MMN-duration than controls. Exploratory analyses of a subset of patients with schizophrenia showed greater variability in this group than in controls for MMN. Greater severity of thought disorder and activation symptoms were associated with higher intraindividual MMN variability. DiscussionDistinct patterns of intraindividual variability in the measured ERPs were not observed for the broad group of people with lifetime psychotic disorders. Exploratory analyses suggest that intraindividual differences in ERPs are more relevant to schizophrenia and certain symptom dimensions than to psychotic disorders broadly, but research is needed to confirm these exploratory findings.

A registered report of a two-site study of variations of the flanker task: ERN experimental effects and data quality.

Error-related negativity is a widely used measure of error monitoring, and many projects are independently moving ERN recorded during a flanker task toward standardization, optimization, and eventual clinical application. However, each project uses a different version of the flanker task and tacitly assumes ERN is functionally equivalent across each version. The routine neglect of a rigorous test of this assumption undermines efforts to integrate ERN findings across tasks, optimize and standardize ERN assessment, and widely apply ERN in clinical trials. The purpose of this registered report was to determine whether ERN shows similar experimental effects (correct vs. error trials) and data quality (intraindividual variability) during three commonly used versions of a flanker task. ERN was recorded from 172 participants during three versions of a flanker task across two study sites. ERN scores showed numerical differences between tasks, raising questions about the comparability of ERN findings across studies and tasks. Although ERN scores from all three versions of the flanker task yielded high data quality and internal consistency, one version did outperform the other two in terms of the size of experimental effects and the data quality. Exploratory analyses of the error positivity (Pe) provided tentative support for the other two versions of the task over the paradigm that appeared optimal for ERN. The present study provides a roadmap for how to statistically compare psychometric characteristics of ERP scores across paradigms and gives preliminary recommendations for flanker tasks to use for ERN- and Pe-focused studies.

Family study of the error-related negativity in adolescent and young adult females and their parents.

The error-related negativity (ERN) has been identified as a potential endophenotype of psychopathology. However, there is limited research investigating familial transmission of the ERN, particularly across developmental phases that are associated with increased risk for psychopathology. The present study included a sample of one hundred thirty-one adolescent and young adult females (Mage = 17.77, SD = 1.84) and their biological parents at a first assessment and 75 females (Mage = 20.48, SD = 1.75) and their biological parents at a second assessment. Participants and their parents completed a flanker task while electroencephalography was recorded to examine parent-daughter associations of the ERN, correct response negativity (CRN), and ΔERN (i.e., ERN-CRN) at two assessments that were separated by approximately 3 years (Myears = 2.84, SD = 0.60). The daughters also completed self-report measures of generalized anxiety and depression symptoms. Results indicated that the ΔERN, but not the ERN or CRN, was positively correlated between parents and their daughters at both assessments. Furthermore, the parent-daughter correlation strength did not differ between assessments. Finally, both daughter and parent ∆ERNs were associated with daughter generalized anxiety and depression symptoms. The present study suggests that, like psychiatric disorders, the ERN runs in families and is associated with both concurrent and familial psychopathology, supporting its conceptualization as an endophenotype of psychopathology.

Pathological personality domains and punishment-enhanced error-related negativity

The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related potential that is observed after the commission of an error and is hypothesized to index threat sensitivity. The ERN is associated with multiple psychiatric disorders, but it is unclear if similar results are due to higher-order dimensions of psychopathology. When errors are punished, the ERN is further enhanced, which might better isolate threat sensitivity. However, few studies have examined whether psychopathology is associated with punishment enhancement of the ERN. In a clinical sample of 170 adults, the present study examined the association between pathological personality domains and predictable vs. unpredictable punishment-enhanced ERN. Results indicated that the ERN was enhanced when errors were punished compared to not punished. Greater negative emotionality was associated with a greater predictable punishment-enhanced ERN, while greater disinhibition was associated with smaller predictable punishment-enhanced ERN. The study suggests that higher-order pathological personality domains demonstrate discriminate relationships with punishment-enhanced error-related brain activity.

Domain specificity of error monitoring: An ERP study in young and older adults.

Metacognition refers to the ability to monitor and control one's cognitive processes, which plays an important role in decision-making throughout the lifespan. It is still debated whether metacognitive abilities decline with age. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that metacognition is served by domain-specific mechanisms. These domains may differentially decline with increasing age. The current investigates whether the error-related negativity (ERN) and the error positivity (Pe) which reflect error detection and error awareness, respectively, differ across perceptual and memory domains in young and older adults. In total, 38 young adults and 37 older adults completed a classic Flanker Task (perceptual) and an adapted memory-based version. No difference in ERN amplitude was found between young and older adults and across domains. Perceptual ERN peaked earlier than Memory ERN. Memory ΔERN was larger than Perceptual ΔERN. Pe was smaller in older adults and ΔPe was larger for perceptual than memory flanker. Memory Pe peaked earlier in young as compared to older adults. Multivariate analyses of whole scalp data supported cross-domain differences. During the task, ERN decreased in young but not in older adults. Memory Pe decreased in young adults but increased in older adults while no significant change in perceptual Pe was found. The study's findings suggest that neural correlates of error monitoring differ across cognitive domains. Moreover, it was shown that error awareness declines in old age but its within-task dynamics vary across cognitive domains. Possible mechanisms underlying metacognition impairments in aging are discussed.

Evidence for post-decisional conflict monitoring in delay discounting

Choice impulsivity can be measured by offering a sequence of various binary choices between smaller, immediately available rewards and larger, later available rewards. An individual’s delay discount (DD) rate reflects the aggregate decision-making tendency. Given the broad spectrum of disorders associated with a high DD rate, this may be an important transdiagnostic factor. This study aimed to establish whether post-decisional neurophysiological processes reflecting the presence of error monitoring are involved in delay discounting. A large sample (N = 97) was investigated, including 46 females and 51 males. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded during the classic monetary choice questionnaire (MCQ-27). Error-related event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related oscillations (EROs) following responses were analyzed. A modest relationship between error positivity (Pe) and DD rate was seen centro-parietal, with higher amplitude for low DD individuals after choosing immediate rewards. A robust association was found between DD rate and theta oscillation power increases. This was most prominent in low DD individuals after making an immediate reward choice. Theta power was positively associated with decision (reaction) time, suggesting an association between pre- and post-decisional conflict. No evidence was found for an error-related negativity (ERN) and delta oscillations. This study provides clear evidence for conflict monitoring as a post-decision process in delay discounting. Findings suggest that diminished theta band power bursts and lower Pe amplitude, observed after choosing an immediate reward, reflect the neurophysiological consequence and possibly the cause of steep delay discounting. High DD was characterized by prefrontal hypoactivation and appears to result from affective decision-making.

Негативность, связанная с ошибкой, как нейрофизиологический коррелят исполнительных функций: Обзор исследований

<p style="text-align: justify;">Executive functions are a set of high-level cognitive processes that regulate human behavior and cognition, and are necessary for adaptive and goal-directed behavior. The error monitoring process can be considered as a condition preceding the enhancement or activation of executive control. The neural correlate of this condition is the error-related negativity (ERN). This article presents a narrative review of research investigating cognitive and affective aspects of the error monitoring process in the context of executive functions using the ERN. The literature review on the affective aspect revealed a diversity of approaches to influencing the state of participants. Most works take into account information about participants' state or affectively salient aspects of stimuli perception. However, this information may not be sufficient to establish a link to the response to conflict induced by an error in an experimental task. Presumably, the general emotional state has only an indirect influence on the error monitoring process. This may be the reason for the inconsistent results observed in this area of research.</p>

No association between error-related ERPs and trait anxiety in a nonclinical sample: Convergence across analytical methods including mass-univariate statistics.

Enhanced error monitoring, as indexed by increased amplitude of the error-related negativity (ERN) event-related potential (ERP) component, has been suggested to reflect a vulnerability neuro-marker of anxiety disorders. Another error-related ERP component is the error positivity (Pe), which reflects late-stage error processing. The associations between heightened ERN and Pe amplitudes and anxiety levels in the nonclinical population have been inconsistent. In this preregistered study, we examined the association between anxiety, ERN, and Pe, using different analytical methods (mass-univariate analyses, MUAs and conventional analyses), self-reported anxiety scales (STAI and STICSA), and trial numbers (all correct trials and equal numbers of correct and error trials). In a sample of 82 healthy adults, both conventional and MUAs demonstrated a robust enhancement of the ERN and Pe to errors relative to the correct-response ERPs. However, the mass-univariate approach additionally unveiled a wider array of electrodes and a longer effect duration for this error enhancement. Across the analytic methods, the results showed a lack of consistent correlation between trait anxiety and error-related ERPs. Findings were not modulated by trial numbers, analyses, or anxiety scales. The present results suggest a lack of enhancement of error monitoring by anxious traits in individuals with subclinical anxiety and those with clinical anxiety but without a clinical diagnosis. Importantly, the absence of such correlation questions the validity of the ERN as a neural marker for anxiety disorders. Future studies that investigate neuro-markers of anxiety may explore alternative task designs and employ robust statistics to provide a more comprehensive understanding of anxiety vulnerability.

Adversity and error-monitoring: Effects of emotional context.

This study tested whether self-reports of childhood adversity would predict altered error processing under emotional versus non-emotional task conditions. N = 99 undergraduates completed two selective attention tasks, a traditional color-word Stroop task and a modified task using emotional words, while EEG was recorded. Participants also completed self-report measures of adverse and positive childhood experiences, executive functioning, depression, current stress, and emotion regulation. Reports of adversity were robustly correlated with self-reported challenges in executive functioning, even when controlling for self-reported depression and stress, but adversity was not correlated with task performance. With regard to neural markers of error processing, adversity predicted an enhanced error-related negativity and blunted error-positivity, but only during the emotion-word blocks of the task. Moreover, error-related changes in alpha oscillations were predicted by adversity, in a pattern that suggested less error responsiveness in alpha patterns during the emotion block, compared to the color block, among participants with higher adversity. Overall, results indicate alterations in error monitoring associated with adversity, such that in an emotional context, initial error detection is enhanced and sustained error processing is blunted, even in the absence of overt performance changes.

Error-related brain activity shapes the association between trait neuroticism and internalizing symptomatology in two tasks

The current study examined how individual differences in error-related brain activity might moderate the association between high trait neuroticism and internalizing symptoms. Data were collected from a sample of high-achieving young adults (N = 188) as part of a larger study on risk versus resiliency for psychopathology. Participants completed two behavioral tasks to elicit the error-related negativity (ERN): an arrow Flanker task and a Go/No-Go task. Analyses were constrained to two internalizing symptom dimensions of checking behavior and irritability. Contrary to expectations, ERN amplitude was not related to symptom severity at the bivariate level. However, ERN amplitude moderated the association between trait neuroticism and symptoms of ill temper, such that the neuroticism-irritability association was strongest among individuals with a blunted ERN. In addition, this finding was relatively consistent across tasks and across two complementary methods of scoring the ERN, suggesting an effect of ERN variance that is shared between tasks and that is relatively robust regarding processing differences. In all, the current study represents the first attempt to investigate how the ERN interacts with trait neuroticism to predict transdiagnostic symptom dimensions in adulthood.