Noradrenergic stimulation enhances human action monitoring.
Noradrenergic neurotransmission has been associated with the modulation of higher cognitive functions mediated by the prefrontal cortex. In the present study, the impact of noradrenergic stimulation on the human action-monitoring system, as indexed by event-related brain potentials, was examined. After the administration of a placebo or the selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine, which stimulates firing in the locus ceruleus and noradrenaline release, electroencephalograpic recordings were obtained from healthy volunteers performing a letter flanker task. Yohimbine led to an increase in the amplitude of the error-related negativity in conjunction with a significant reduction of action errors. Reaction times were unchanged, and the drug did not modify the N2 in congruent versus incongruent trials, a measure of preresponse conflict, or posterror adjustments as measured by posterror slowing of reaction time. The present findings suggest that the locus ceruleus-noradrenaline system exerts a rather specific effect on human action monitoring.
Riba
Jordi
J
Centre d'Investigació de Medicaments, Institut de Recerca, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Departament de Farmacologia i Terapèutica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08025 Barcelona, Spain. jordi.riba@nat.uni-magdeburg.de
Rodríguez-Fornells
Antoni
A
Morte
Adelaida
A
Münte
Thomas F
TF
Barbanoj
Manel J
MJ
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D015016:Yohimbine; D009638:Norepinephrine