Opposite effects of cannabis and cocaine on performance monitoring.
Drug use is often associated with risky and unsafe behavior. However, the acute effects of cocaine and cannabis on performance monitoring processes have not been systematically investigated. The aim of the current study was to investigate how administration of these drugs alters performance monitoring processes, as reflected in the error-related negativity (ERN), the error positivity (Pe) and post-error slowing. A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized three-way crossover design was used. Sixty-one subjects completed a Flanker task while EEG measures were obtained. Subjects showed diminished ERN and Pe amplitudes after cannabis administration and increased ERN and Pe amplitudes after administration of cocaine. Neither drug affected post-error slowing. These results demonstrate diametrically opposing effects on the early and late phases of performance monitoring of the two most commonly used illicit drugs of abuse. Conversely, the behavioral adaptation phase of performance monitoring remained unaltered by the drugs.
Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: desireespronk@gmail.com.
Desirée B
DB
Spronk
Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Pompestichting for Forensic Psychiatry, 6532 CN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Criminal Law & Criminology, Radboud University, 6500 KK Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Robbert J
RJ
Verkes
Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Roshan
R
Cools
Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Barbara
B
Franke
Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Janelle H P
JH
Van Wel
Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Johannes G
JG
Ramaekers
Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands.
Ellen R A
ER
De Bruijn
D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002188:Cannabis; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D003042:Cocaine
Cannabis; Cocaine; Error positivity; Error-related negativity; Performance monitoring