title: Neural mechanisms and temporal dynamics of performance monitoring.
abstract: Successful goal-directed behavior critically depends on performance monitoring, a set of cognitive and affective functions determining whether adaptive control is needed and, if so, which type and magnitude is required. Knowledge of the brain structures involved in such a process has grown enormously, although the time course of performance-monitoring (PM) activity remains poorly understood. Here, we review evidence from EEG recordings in humans and show that monitored events elicit a rather uniform sequence of cortical activity reflecting the detection, accumulation, and weighting of evidence for the necessity to adapt and (re)act. We link the EEG findings with invasive and pharmacological findings and evaluate the neurobiological plausibility of current theories of PM.
authors.affiliation: Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Psychology II, Department of Neuropsychology, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany; Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: markus.ullsperger@ovgu.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ullsperger
authors.affiliation: Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Psychology II, Department of Neuropsychology, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Adrian G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Psychology II, Department of Neuropsychology, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nigbur
authors.affiliation: Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Psychology II, Department of Neuropsychology, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Endrass
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D064926:Neurophysiological Monitoring; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine