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Neural correlates of error-related learning deficits in individuals with psychopathy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2009

A. K. L. von Borries ,
I. A. Brazil ,
B. H. Bulten ,
J. K. Buitelaar ,
R. J. Verkes  and
E. R. A. de Bruijn
A. K. L. von Borries*
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Psychiatry, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
I. A. Brazil
Affiliation:
Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
B. H. Bulten
Affiliation:
Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
J. K. Buitelaar
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Psychiatry, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
R. J. Verkes
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Psychiatry, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Pompestichting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
E. R. A. de Bruijn
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: A. K. L. von Borries, M.Sc., Pompekliniek, PO Box 31435, 6503CKNijmegen, The Netherlands. (Email: k.v.borries@pompestichting.nl)
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Abstract

Background

Psychopathy (PP) is associated with a performance deficit in a variety of stimulus–response and stimulus–reinforcement learning paradigms. We tested the hypothesis that failures in error monitoring underlie these learning deficits.

Method

We measured electrophysiological correlates of error monitoring [error-related negativity (ERN)] during a probabilistic learning task in individuals with PP (n=13) and healthy matched control subjects (n=18). The task consisted of three graded learning conditions in which the amount of learning was manipulated by varying the degree to which the response was predictive of the value of the feedback (50, 80 and 100%).

Results

Behaviourally, we found impaired learning and diminished accuracy in the group of individuals with PP. Amplitudes of the response ERN (rERN) were reduced. No differences in the feedback ERN (fERN) were found.

Conclusions

The results are interpreted in terms of a deficit in initial rule learning and subsequent generalization of these rules to new stimuli. Negative feedback is adequately processed at a neural level but this information is not used to improve behaviour on subsequent trials. As learning is degraded, the process of error detection at the moment of the actual response is diminished. Therefore, the current study demonstrates that disturbed error-monitoring processes play a central role in the often reported learning deficits in individuals with PP.

Keywords

Behavioural adaptationerror-monitoringerror-related negativityfeedback learningpsychopathyreinforcement learning
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 9 , September 2010 , pp. 1559 - 1568
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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