Functions of the medial frontal cortex in the processing of conflict and errors

A principal function of the medial frontal cortex, in particular the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), is to monitor action. The error-related negativity (ERN, or N(E)), an event-related brain potential, reflects medial frontal action-monitoring processes. Specifically, the error-detection theory of the ERN states that the ERN reflects ACC processing that is directly related to detecting the error. This theory predicts that ERN and ACC activity should increase directly with the dissimilarity of the error from the correct response, with similarity defined with respect to the common movement features of the responses. In contrast, the conflict-detection theory claims that ACC and ERN activity represent the detection of response conflict. This theory predicts that the activity should increase directly with the similarity of the error and the correct response. To test these theories, we investigated the effects of response similarity and conflict on the ERN, using a task that involved hand and foot movements. ERN activity was largest under conditions of high response conflict, where the error was similar to the correct response. This finding favors the conflict-detection theory over the error-detection theory, although the ERN was not associated with posterror slowing, as predicted by proponents of both theories. Discrepancies between our results and those of past studies may stem from the use in previous studies of four-finger response tasks which are subject to unique physiological and biomechanical constraints. We conclude that the ERN reflects medial frontal activity involved in the detection or affective processing of response conflict.