title: Neural correlates of positive and negative performance feedback in younger and older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies with younger adults have shown that performance feedback can serve as a reward, and it elicits reward-related brain activations. This study investigated whether performance feedback is processed similarly in younger and older adults and whether there are differential aging effects for positive and negative performance feedback.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used event-related fMRI in a choice reaction-time task and provided performance feedback after each trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although younger and older adults differed in task-related activation, they showed comparable reward-related activation. Positive performance feedback elicited the strongest striatal and amygdala activation, which was reflected behaviorally in slightly faster reaction times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that performance feedback serves as a reward in both younger and older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. bdrueke@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drueke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. lydia.weichert@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weichert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. tforkmann@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forkmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. vmainz@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mainz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. sgauggel@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gauggel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany. mboecker@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boecker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000502:physiology; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012201:Reward; D055815:Young Adult