Prefrontal-cingulate interactions in action monitoring

We found that medial frontal cortex activity associated with action monitor ing (detecting errors and behavioral conflict) depended on activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex. We recorded the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain potential proposed to reflect anterior cingulate act ion monitoring, from individuals with lateral prefrontal damage or age-matc hed or young control participants. In controls, error trials generated grea ter ERN activity than correct trials. In individuals with lateral prefronta l damage, however, correct-trial ERN activity was equal to error-trial ERN activity. Lateral prefrontal damage also affected corrective behavior. Thus the lateral prefrontal cortex seemed to interact with the anterior cingula te cortex in monitoring behavior and in guiding compensatory systems.