Event-related potentials in performance monitoring are influenced by the endogenous opioid system.
Recent research suggests that not only the dopamine neurotransmitter system but also the endogenous opioid system is involved in performance monitoring and the generation of prediction error signals. Heightened performance monitoring is also associated with psychopathology such as internalizing disorders. Therefore, the current study investigated the potential link between the functional opioid peptide prodynorphin (PDYN) 68 bp VNTR genetic polymorphism and neuronal correlates of performance monitoring. To this end, 47 healthy participants genotyped for this polymorphism, related to high-, intermediate-, and low-expression levels of PDYN, performed a choice-reaction task while their electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. On the behavioural level, no differences between the three PDYN groups could be observed. EEG data, however, showed significant differences. High PDYN expression individuals showed heightened neural error processing indicated by higher ERN amplitudes, compared to intermediate and low expression individuals. Later stages of error processing, indexed by late Pe amplitudes, and stimulus-driven conflict processing, indexed by N2 amplitudes, were not affected by PDYN genotype. The current results corroborate the notion of an indirect effect of endogenous opioids on performance monitoring, probably mediated by the mesencephalic dopamine system. Overall, enhanced ERN amplitudes suggest a hyper-active performance monitoring system in high PDYN expression individuals, and this might also be an indicator of a higher risk for internalizing disorders.
Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: daniela.pfabigan@univie.ac.at.
Daniela M
DM
Pfabigan
Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria.
Jürgen
J
Pripfl
Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
Sara L
SL
Kroll
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Haraldsgatan 1, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Uta
U
Sailer
Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: claus.lamm@univie.ac.at.
Claus
C
Lamm
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000235:genetics*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012201:Reward; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C033660:preproenkephalin
ERN; Late Pe; Mesencephalic dopamine system; Opioid system; Prodynorphin (PDYN); Reward prediction error signals