New insights into neural networks of error monitoring and clinical implications: a systematic review of ERP studies in neurological diseases

Error monitoring allows for efficient performance of goal-directed behaviors and successful learning. Furthermore, error monitoring as a metacognitive ability, may play a crucial role for neuropsychological interventions, such as rehabilitation. In the past decades, research has suggested two electrophysiological markers for error monitoring: the error related negativity and the error positivity, thought to reflect, respectively, error detection and error awareness. Studies on several neurological diseases have investigated the alteration of the error related negativity and the error positivity, but these findings have not been summarized. Accordingly, a systematic review was conducted to understand what neurological conditions present alterations of error monitoring event-related potentials and their relation with clinical measures. Overall, ERN tended to be reduced in most neurological conditions while results related to Pe integrity are less clear. ERN and Pe were found to be associated with several measures of clinical severity. Additionally, we explored the contribution of different brain structures to neural networks underlying error monitoring, further elaborating on domain-specificity of error processing and clinical implications of findings. In conclusion, electrophysiological signatures of error monitoring could be reliable measures of neurological dysfunction and a robust tool in neuropsychological rehabilitation

Domain specificity of error monitoring: an ERP study in young and older adults

Metacognition refers to the ability to monitor and control one's cognitive processes, which plays an important role in decision-making throughout the lifespan. It is still debated whether metacognitive abilities decline with age. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that metacognition is served by domain-specific mechanisms. These domains may differentially decline with increasing age. The current investigates whether the error-related negativity (ERN) and the error positivity (Pe) which reflect error detection and error awareness, respectively, differ across perceptual and memory domains in young and older adults. In total, 38 young adults and 37 older adults completed a classic Flanker Task (perceptual) and an adapted memory-based version. No difference in ERN amplitude was found between young and older adults and across domains. Perceptual ERN peaked earlier than Memory ERN. Memory ΔERN was larger than Perceptual ΔERN. Pe was smaller in older adults and ΔPe was larger for perceptual than memory flanker. Memory Pe peaked earlier in young as compared to older adults. Multivariate analyses of whole scalp data supported cross-domain differences. During the task, ERN decreased in young but not in older adults. Memory Pe decreased in young adults but increased in older adults while no significant change in perceptual Pe was found. The study's findings suggest that neural correlates of error monitoring differ across cognitive domains. Moreover, it was shown that error awareness declines in old age but its within-task dynamics vary across cognitive domains. Possible mechanisms underlying metacognition impairments in aging are discussed

Gut microbiome-brain axis and inflammation in temperament, personality and psychopathology

Full understanding of temperament, personality and psychopathology must consider biological mechanisms beyond the brain. Over 4000 species of commensurate microbiota inhabit our bodies and influence almost all aspects of human physiological function. Evidence supports bidirectional relationships between the gut microbiome and brain function. For example, gut environment directly influences limbic function via the vagal nerve, modulating affect and stress-responsivity. In turn, states of distress affect the ecology of the gut, physiologically and through behavioural alteration (diet, social interaction). Furthermore, the gut microbiome modulates the release of inflammatory molecules and hormones, indirectly affecting brain structure and function. Thus, development of gut microbiome from gestation, through birth, during childhood, adulthood and into old age is associated with temperament, personality and psychological wellbeing, including sexual differentiation in psychological function during puberty, and vulnerability to developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders. Moreover, nutrients known to affect gut function and inflammation (e.g., fatty acids) are associated with temperament and personality in clinical and nonclinical groups. These relationships may reflect the influence of psychological traits on the microbiome by determining how an organism explores the environment, seeks reward, its social interaction and food preferences. However, it might also reflect an effect of microbiome status on psychological function. There is a need for further systematic multidisciplinary studies that integrate psychology, neurosciences, immunology and microbiology to determine the direction of these relationships and fully understand the biological basis of temperament, personality and psychopathology

The Role of Motor System in Mental Rotation: New Insights from Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

This study explored mental rotation (MR) performance in patients with myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1), an inherited neuromuscular disorder dominated by muscular symptoms, including muscle weakness and myotonia. The aim of the study was twofold: to gain new insights into the neurocognitive mechanisms of MR and to better clarify the cognitive profile of DM1 patients. To address these aims, we used MR tasks involving kinds of stimuli that varied for the extent to which they emphasized motor simulation and activation of body representations (body parts) versus visuospatial imagery (abstract objects). We hypothesized that, if peripheral sensorimotor feedback system plays a pivotal role in modulating MR performance, then DM1 patients would exhibit more difficulties in mentally rotating hand stimuli than abstract objects

Wound- and mechanostimulated electrical signals control hormone responses.

Plants in nature are constantly exposed to organisms that touch them and wound them. A highly conserved response to these stimuli is a rapid collapse of membrane potential (i.e. a decrease of electrical field strength across membranes). This can be coupled to the production and/or action of jasmonate or ethylene. Here, the various types of electrical signals in plants are discussed in the context of hormone responses. Genetic approaches are revealing genes involved in wound-induced electrical signalling. These include clade 3 GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE (GLR) genes, Arabidopsis H <sup>+</sup> -ATPases (AHAs), RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOGUEs (RBOHs), and genes that determine cell wall properties. We briefly review touch- and wound-induced increases in cytosolic Ca <sup>2+</sup> concentrations and their temporal relationship to electrical activities. We then look at the questions that need addressing to link mechanostimulation and wound-induced electrical activity to hormone responses. Utilizing recently published results, we also present a hypothesis for wound-response leaf-to-leaf electrical signalling. This model is based on rapid electro-osmotic coupling between the phloem and xylem. The model suggests that the depolarization of membranes within the vascular matrix triggered by physical stimuli and/or chemical elicitors is linked to changes in phloem turgor and that this plays vital roles in leaf-to-leaf electrical signal propagation

What is next for the neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology?

This paper represents the outcome of a multidisciplinary discussion on what works, what does not, and what can be improved, in ongoing work on biobehavioral taxonomies and their biomarkers. The authors of this paper, representing a wide spectrum of biobehavioral disciplines (clinical, developmental, differential psychology, neurophysiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, neurochemistry, and neurosciences), have contributed more extensive opinions to the Theme Issue 'Neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology: what's next?'. The authors identified 10 directions in international and multidisciplinary cooperation, and multiple insights for ‘what is next’ for each of these directions

What's next for the neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology?

This paper represents the outcome of a multidisciplinary discussion on what works, what doesn't, and what can be improved, in on-going work on bio-behavioural taxonomies and their biomarkers. The authors of this paper, representing a wide spectrum of bio-behavioural disciplines (clinical, developmental, differential psychology, neurophysiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, neurochemistry, neurosciences), have contributed more extensive opinions to the Theme Issue "Neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology: what's next?". The authors identified ten directions in international and multidisciplinary cooperation, and multiple insights for "what is next" for each of these directions

What is next for the neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology?

This paper represents the outcome of a multidisciplinary discussion on what works, what does not, and what can be improved, in ongoing work on biobehavioral taxonomies and their biomarkers. The authors of this paper, representing a wide spectrum of biobehavioral disciplines (clinical, developmental, differential psychology, neurophysiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, neurochemistry, and neurosciences), have contributed more extensive opinions to the Theme Issue 'Neurobiology of temperament, personality and psychopathology: what's next?'. The authors identified 10 directions in international and multidisciplinary cooperation, and multiple insights for 'what is next' for each of these directions