Human anterior cingulate cortex is activated by negative feedback: evidence from event-related potentials in a guessing task

It has been controversially discussed whether the error-related negativity (ERN) or error negativity (N-e), an electrophysiological index of anterior cingulate activation, reflects response conflict or response evaluation subserving error monitoring processes. We investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) in a guessing task which did not induce response conflict. Subjects had to guess which of the four aces of a French card play would be presented next and received feedback at random. We observed a negative ERP deflection in trials following negative feedback which was identified as ERN/N-e. Dipole analysis of scalp potentials indicated sources in the anterior cingulate and left inferior prefrontal cortex. The observation of the ERN/N-e following negative feedback during guessing suggests that this ERP component mirrors response evaluation processes comparing expected and actual response outcome rather than response conflict. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.