Single-Trial Relationships Between the Error-Related Negativity, Pe, Error-Related Pupillary Dilation Response, and...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology
• Human Behavior

Background:

• The error-related negativity (ERN) is linked to attention and cognitive control, but its relationship with behavioral accuracy and reaction time is inconsistent.
• Understanding error processing and subsequent behavioral adjustments requires exploring additional physiological measures.
• The phasic pupillary dilation response (PDR) and the positivity following an error (Pe) are other physiological markers of error processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the PDR, Pe, and post-error behavior (accuracy and slowing).
• To examine the interrelationships among the ERN, PDR, and Pe as indices of error processing.
• To explore how these physiological markers predict behavioral adjustments at both single-trial and subject levels.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous recording of electroencephalography (EEG) and pupillometry.
• Participants completed an Ericksen Flanker task.
• Analysis of error-related negativity (ERN), phasic pupillary dilation response (PDR), and positivity following an error (Pe) in relation to post-error behavior.

Main Results:

• At the single-trial level, ERN, PDR, and Pe amplitudes predicted post-error accuracy.
• At the subject level, only PDR predicted average post-error accuracy, while only ERN predicted post-error slowing.
• Both ERN and Pe correlated with PDR amplitude, suggesting potential shared neural mechanisms, though ERN also predicted unique pupillary variance.

Conclusions:

• The PDR and Pe show promise as indicators of post-error behavioral adjustment.
• Investigating error-processing indices at multiple levels of analysis (single-trial and subject) is crucial.
• Findings highlight the complex interplay between different physiological markers of error processing and their predictive power for cognitive control.