Abstract:
The ability to monitor and evaluate the consequences of ongoing behaviors and
coordinate behavioral adjustments seems to rely on networks including the anterior
cingulate cortex (ACC) and phasic changes in dopamine activity. Activity (and
presumably functional maturation) of the ACC may be indirectly measured using the
error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential (ERP) component that is
hypothesized to reflect activity of the automatic response monitoring system. To date, no
studies have examined the measurement reliability of the ERN as a trait-like measure of
response monitoring, its development in mid- and late- adolescence as well as its relation
to risk-taking and empathic ability, two traits linked to dopaminergic and ACC activity.
Utilizing a large sample of 15- and 18-year-old males, the present study examined the
test-retest reliability of the ERN, age-related changes in the ERN and other components
of the ERP associated with error monitoring (the Pe and CRN), and the relations of the
error-related ERP components to personality traits of risk propensity and empathy.
Results indicated good test-retest reliability of the ERN providing important validation of
the ERN as a stable and possibly trait-like electrophysiological correlate of performance
monitoring. Ofthe three components, only the ERN was of greater amplitude for the
older adolescents suggesting that its ACC network is functionally late to mature, due to
either structural or neurochemical changes with age. Finally, the ERN was smaller for
those with high risk propensity and low empathy, while other components associated with
error monitoring were not, which suggests that poor ACe function may be associated
with the desire to engage in risky behaviors and the ERN may be influenced by the extent
of individuals' concern with the outcome of events.
