title: N2 and P3 modulation during partial inhibition in a modified go/nogo task.
abstract: The neural response following the partial inhibition of responses can provide insight into the processes underlying response inhibition. We examined the N2 and P3 on trials where participants correctly responded to go stimuli, successfully inhibited their response to nogo stimuli, and nogo trials where they initiated but did not complete their response (partial inhibitions) in an adult sample (N=24, M(age)=21.17, SD(age)=3.52). An enhanced and delayed N2 was observed on partially inhibited compared to successfully inhibited nogo trials. Further analysis showed that this modulation was error-related. An enhanced central P3 was observed following successful inhibitions compared to correct go trials, but not following partial inhibitions. The results suggest that the central P3 enhancement is specific to the complete and successful inhibition of responses. Therefore, the absence of a central P3 on partial inhibitions could reflect insufficient inhibition or a monitored failure in inhibiting the response. Although, our findings provide support for the role of P3 in response inhibition, it raises questions about the processes involved in the subsequent inhibition or correction of the erroneous response. Further research examining the neural response following both partial and unsuccessful inhibitions could provide insight regarding these processes.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, Mailbag M304, 35 Stirling Highway Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Electronic address: an.nguyen@research.uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: An T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, Mailbag M304, 35 Stirling Highway Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; MindLink Psychology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonson J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Moyle
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, Mailbag M304, 35 Stirling Highway Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Event-related potential; Go/nogo; N2; P3; Partial inhibition; Response inhibition