Awareness of deficits and error processing after traumatic brain injury

Neuroreport. 2009 Oct 28;20(16):1486-90. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32833283fe.

Abstract

Severe traumatic brain injury is frequently associated with alterations in performance monitoring, including reduced awareness of physical and cognitive deficits. We examined the relationship between awareness of deficits and electrophysiological indices of performance monitoring, including the error-related negativity and posterror positivity (Pe) components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential, in 16 traumatic brain injury survivors who completed a Stroop color-naming task while event-related potential measurements were recorded. Awareness of deficits was measured as the discrepancy between patient and significant-other ratings on the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale. The amplitude of the Pe, but not error-related negativity, was reliably associated with decreased awareness of deficits. Results indicate that Pe amplitude may serve as an electrophysiological indicator of awareness of abilities and deficits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Awareness / physiology*
  • Brain Injuries / physiopathology*
  • Color Perception / physiology
  • Contingent Negative Variation / physiology
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Processes / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Young Adult