The Mechanism Of Performance Monitoring In High And Low Sensation Seeker By An ERP Study

Sensation seeking is a personality trait which is highly correlated with risk taking. The present studies suggest that High sensation seekers (HSSs) have a stronger appetitive-approach system and a weaker avoidance-withdrawal system than do Low sensation seekers (LSSs). Therefore, HSSs not only are strongly activated by those potentially dangerous activities, but also may be less likely than other people to inhibit or appropriately regulate that activation. The regulation of activities involved in the process of performance monitoring, which is an essential prerequisite for adaptively altering behavior and decision making, and comprises error detection and conflict monitoring. The studies have shown that the level of sensation seeking is different in the error detection; however, there are still many deficiencies in this research. There is not related research at home and abroad for the conflict monitoring of the sensation seeking. Using the different components of the Event-related potential (ERP), we can yield precise information concerning the time course and Processing intensity of the conflict monitoring and error detection. In the Go/Nogo task, two ERP components N2 and P3 reflect conflict monitoring and the information processing process of conflict. In the flanker task, error reaction induced ERN and Pe amplitude reflected the error processing mechanisms.Objective:Using the ERPs technology, the present study investigates the neural mechanisms of performance monitoring in sensation seeking; and than comparing the high and low sensation seeking individuals in neural mechanisms of conflict monitoring and error detection; Analysis the differences in sensation seeking, conflict monitoring and error detection.Methods:All the participants, answered the Sensation Seeking Scale Form V consisted of students from the Dalian Medical University, were divided into two groups (high sensation seekers and low sensation seekers) In order to enlarge the sensation seeking trait,according to their sensation seeking scores. We selected the persons with highest and lowest scores as high or low sensation seekers respectively. Thirty-six young adults (18 female) participated in the study. The two groups differed significantly only in sensation seeking score with no difference in age, gender and educational level. All subjects received a Go/Nogo task and flanker task. Electro-encephalogram (EEG) was recorded continuously by a set of 32 Ag/AgCI electrodes placed. We measured the peak amplitude and peak latency of N2, P3, ERN and Pe at frontocentral and central regions of 3 electrodes (FZ, FCZ, andCZ).4 participants were excluded because an insufficient number of correct artifact-free trials were available. Thus, final study enrollment included 32 healthy, right-handed individuals (16 female).Behavioral data were analyzed via t-test and ANOVAs. For ERPs data, Within-group comparisons and between-group comparisons were performed using repeated measurement analysis of variance (RMANOVA).Results:1 Between-group comparisons did not showed any observable differences in behavioral performance of the two tasks.2 Between-group comparisons did not showed any observable differences in amplitude and latency of the nogo-N2/P3 of the Go/Nogo task3 Two groups of subjects in the ERN amplitude in the FZ, FCZ, and CZ points were significantly difference; Pe amplitude between groups was not significant. Between-group comparisons did not showed any observable differences in latency of both ERN and Pe components.Conclusions:1 The conflict monitoring and the information processing process of conflict performance monitoring did not differ in the groups of sensation seeking, while there are differences in error monitoring.2 Compared with LSSs, HSSs present lower error detection capability, what is showed reduced ERN amplitude in HSSs. There is the Neural Basis of performance monitoring in sensation seeking.3 Form the difference of the performance monitoring in High and low sensation seeking groups, the result reflect their level of defensive motivation or negative results on the learning ability are different. This result is very important to understand the avoidance-withdrawal system in sensation seeking, and the risk taking of the high sensation seeker; of great theoretical and practical significance.