Neural correlates of performance monitoring in adult patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: A study of event-related potentials
Abstract
Objectives
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by motor and vocal tics. There is undoubtedly basal ganglia involvement, which are also important for cognitive processes including performance monitoring and interference resolution. We investigated these functions in adult patients with GTS compared to healthy controls (HCs).
Methods
We compared a group of N = 23 adult patients with GTS to N = 27 HC on a flanker task during an EEG recording. Reaction times and error rates were recorded, as well as N2 and Ne/ERN amplitudes. The N2 is an index of interference resolution. The Ne/ERN is a negative fronto-central component, occurring when participants make mistakes.
Results
Patients’ reaction times were enhanced on incongruent trials compared to HC. Electrophysiological data revealed more frontal components, as well as significantly increased Ne/ERN amplitudes in patients with GTS compared to HC (p = 0.026).
Conclusions
Altered electrophysiological correlates of error processing in adult patients with GTS compared to HC cannot be attributed to differential error probabilities. Potentially, patients recruit compensatory resources from frontal networks to maintain behavioural performance.
Significance
This study gives further insight into cognitive deficits of patients with GTS, and the underlying neural processes of these functions.
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by motor and vocal tics. There is undoubtedly basal ganglia involvement, which are also important for cognitive processes including performance monitoring and interference resolution. We investigated these functions in adult patients with GTS compared to healthy controls (HCs).
Methods
We compared a group of N = 23 adult patients with GTS to N = 27 HC on a flanker task during an EEG recording. Reaction times and error rates were recorded, as well as N2 and Ne/ERN amplitudes. The N2 is an index of interference resolution. The Ne/ERN is a negative fronto-central component, occurring when participants make mistakes.
Results
Patients’ reaction times were enhanced on incongruent trials compared to HC. Electrophysiological data revealed more frontal components, as well as significantly increased Ne/ERN amplitudes in patients with GTS compared to HC (p = 0.026).
Conclusions
Altered electrophysiological correlates of error processing in adult patients with GTS compared to HC cannot be attributed to differential error probabilities. Potentially, patients recruit compensatory resources from frontal networks to maintain behavioural performance.
Significance
This study gives further insight into cognitive deficits of patients with GTS, and the underlying neural processes of these functions.
Bibliographical data
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| ISSN | 1388-2457 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
