A neuronal theta band signature of error monitoring during integration of facial expression cues

Abstract

Error monitoring is the metacognitive process by which we are able to detect and signal our errors once a response has been made. Monitoring when the outcome of our actions deviates from the intended goal is crucial for behavior, learning, and the development of higher-order social skills. Here, we explored the neuronal substrates of error monitoring during the integration of facial expression cues using electroencephalography (EEG). Our goal was to investigate the signatures of error monitoring before and after a response execution dependent on the integration of facial cues. We followed the hypothesis of midfrontal theta as a robust neuronal marker of error monitoring since it has been consistently described as a mechanism to signal the need for cognitive control. Also, we hypothesized that EEG frequency-domain components might bring advantage to study error monitoring in complex scenarios as it carries information from locked and non-phase-locked signals. A challenging go/no-go saccadic paradigm was applied to elicit errors: integration of facial emotional signals and gaze direction was required to solve it. EEG data were acquired from twenty healthy participants and analyzed at the level of theta band activity during response preparation and execution. Although theta modulation has been consistently demonstrated during error monitoring, it is still unclear how early it starts to occur. We found theta power differences at midfrontal channels between correct and error trials. Theta was higher immediately after erroneous responses. Moreover, before response initiation we observed the opposite: lower theta preceding errors. These results suggest theta band activity not only as an index of error monitoring, which is needed to enhance cognitive control, but also as a requisite for success. This study adds to previous evidence for the role of theta band in error monitoring processes by revealing error-related patterns even before response execution in complex tasks, and using a paradigm requiring the integration of facial expression cues.

Single trial detection of error-related potentials in brain–machine interfaces: a survey and comparison of methods

“…ErrP appears within a time window of 500 ms [54], though its amplitude and latency may vary between different experimental tasks [55] or users [56]. There is also an error-related frequency modulation in EEG and it mainly falls into the theta frequency band [57,58].…”

A new error-monitoring brain–computer interface based on reinforcement learning for people with autism spectrum disorders

“…Besides the classically described ErrPs, theta rhythms ([4 8] Hz) have also been associated to errormonitoring processes. They have been reported to increase when the user commits errors or receive erroneous feedback [24,49,50] but also while observing erroneous actions [48]. They can be atypical in ASD [51] and other psychiatric conditions [52], and thus may contribute to a better profiling of ASD groups.…”

“…The ERN has shown to be robust across different types of responses and has been also linked to error-related midfrontal theta rhythm, which during error commission shares the same neuronal source and appears to be modulated already during response preparation [23]. Such frequency component has shown to be an important complementary signature of error detection, particularly in complex social contexts [24].…”

Impulsivity Mediates the Relationship between Sleep Quality and Interpersonal Functioning: A Cross-sectional Study in a Sample of University Students

“…Effective/appropriate executive functioning is necessary in the processes of error detection (28, 29), emotional regulation (30) and social cue processing (31). Therefore, when negatively impacted by factors such as sleep deprivation, error detection becomes dysregulated (32,33).…”