Decision making, the P3, and the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Localization of the Locus Coeruleus in the Mouse Brain
Published on: March 7, 2019
Sander Nieuwenhuis1, Gary Aston-Jones, Jonathan D Cohen
1Department of Cognitive Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. stn20@dds.nl
Abstract:
Psychologists and neuroscientists have had a long-standing interest in the P3, a prominent component of the event-related brain potential. This review aims to integrate knowledge regarding the neural basis of the P3 and to elucidate its functional role in information processing. The authors review evidence suggesting that the P3 reflects phasic activity of the neuromodulatory locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system. They discuss the P3 literature in the light of empirical findings and a recent theory regarding the information-processing function of the LC-NE phasic response. The theoretical framework emerging from this research synthesis suggests that the P3 reflects the response of the LC-NE system to the outcome of internal decision-making processes and the consequent effects of noradrenergic potentiation of information processing.
Related Concept Videos
Reason and Intuition
Neural Regulation of Blood Pressure
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission
Synthesis: Catecholamine synthesis requires tyrosine, which is taken...
The Pineal Gland
The primary secretion of the pineal gland is the hormone melatonin, derived from serotonin. The concentration of melatonin in the...
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...
