Abstract:
We found that medial frontal cortex activity associated with action monitoring (detecting errors and behavioral conflict) depended on activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex. We recorded the error- related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain potential proposed to reflect anterior cingulate action monitoring, from individuals with lateral prefrontal damage or age-matched or young control participants. In controls, error trials generated greater ERN activity than correct trials. In individuals with lateral prefrontal damage, however, correct-trial ERN activity was equal to error-trial ERN activ- ity. Lateral prefrontal damage also affected corrective behavior. Thus the lateral prefrontal cortex seemed to interact with the anterior cingulate cortex in monitoring behavior and in guiding compensatory systems.