Monitoring for erroneous and -more generally- unexpected action outcomes
is essential to determine when control has to be recruited in order to
optimize goal achievement. In my presentation I will present an overview
about the implementation of performance monitoring in the human brain.
In the first part I will discuss EEG and fMRI studies addressing which
signals are represented in the performance monitoring system and how
they are weighted to determine whether adaptation is needed. The second
part of the presentation will focus on trial-by-trial post-error
adjustments, namely task-unspecific slowing of responses after errors
and surprising outcomes (post-error slowing) and task-specific
post-error increase in selective attention. I will present data from
healthy participants and patients with neurological diseases
demonstrating the involvement of motor inhibition in post-error slowing.
Furthermore I will discuss pharmacologic challenge studies elucidating
the roles of serotonin in post-error slowing and of acetylcholine in
post-error increase in selective attention.