Response-monitoring dysfunction in schizophrenia: An event-related brain potential study

Error-monitoring abnormalities may underlie positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Response-synchronized event-related potentials during picture–word matching yielded error- and correct-response-related negativity (ERN, CRN) and positivity (Pe, Pc) and preresponse lateralized readiness potentials (LRP) from 18 schizophrenic patients and 18 controls. Both groups responded faster to matches than nonmatches, although patients were generally slower and made more errors to nonmatches. Compared with controls, patients, particularly with paranoid subtype, had smaller ERNs and larger CRNs, which were indistinguishable. LRPs showed evidence of more response conflict before errors than before correct responses in controls but not patients. Despite ERN/CRN abnormalities, post-error slowing and Pe were normal in patients, suggesting a dissociation of ERN and error awareness. Anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortical dysfunction in schizophrenia are implicated. Self-monitoring of thoughts and actions is critical for distin-guishing self-initiated from externally generated stimuli and for guiding goal-directed behavior. Defective self-monitoring may underlie some of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia (Fein-berg, 1978; Frith & Done, 1989). For example, misattribution o