Development of the Error-related Negativity and Behavioral Variability in Childhood: Clarification of Neural Processes Using Wavelet Analysis
Open Access
- Author:
- Dupuis, David K
- Graduate Program:
- Neuroscience
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 19, 2013
- Committee Members:
- Lisa Michelle Kopp, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Nilam Ram, Committee Member
Charles Geier, Committee Member
David John Vandenbergh, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Error related negativity
Electroencephalography
Behavioral Variability
Development
Longitudinal
Wavelets - Abstract:
- The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related potential that is thought to reflect neural activity related to performance monitoring. The ERN can be measured reliably in adults and relates to individual differences in cognitive abilities, psychopathology, and personality. However, questions remain about the reliability and validity of the ERN signal in children. As the ERN is typically measured over many trials, low levels of signal temporal consistency across trials in childhood may interfere with researchers’ ability to detect an ERN signal in a child’s averaged waveform. The present study sought to clarify the developmental trajectory of the ERN signal in childhood by assessing both average signal strength and signal temporal consistency of the ERN, using wavelets to examine dynamics in the theta waveband, in a sample of children assessed longitudinally in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade. Consistent with previous findings, ERN deflections in the averaged waveform increased with age. It was found that signal temporal consistency also increased with age, lending support to the hypothesis that development of the ERN signal is characterized by an increase in signal temporal consistency. Additionally, the present study sought to determine the rank-order stability of ERN amplitude, signal temporal consistency, average signal strength, and behavioral variability in childhood. ERN amplitude and signal temporal consistency showed low levels of rank-order stability while average signal strength and behavioral variability showed high levels of rank-order stability over the age range assessed.