Alcohol consumption impairs detection of performance errors in mediofrontal cortex.
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a critical component of the human mediofrontal neural circuit that monitors ongoing processing in the cognitive system for signs of erroneous outcomes. Here, we show that the consumption of alcohol in moderate doses induces a significant deterioration of the ability to detect the activation of erroneous responses as reflected in the amplitude of brain electrical activity associated with the ACC. This impairment was accompanied by failures to instigate performance adjustments after these errors. These findings offer insights into how the effects of alcohol on mediofrontal brain function may result in compromised performance.
Ridderinkhof
K Richard
KR
Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, Netherlands. richard@psy.uva.nl
de Vlugt
Yolande
Y
Bramlage
Aldo
A
Spaan
Marcus
M
Elton
Martin
M
Snel
Jan
J
Band
Guido P H
GP
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D003071:Cognition; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance
D000431:Ethanol