Abstract

Error processing, a neural process critical to adaptive learning during adolescence, may be disrupted by mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of adults following mTBI indicate a variable impact of mTBI on neural correlates of error processing, including the error related negativity (ERN) and post error positivity (Pe) components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP). Existing studies of mTBI in adolescents indicate significantly decreased ERN amplitudes and nonsignificant differences in Pe amplitude between mTBI and control groups. However, no longitudinal studies of adolescents with mTBI are available to date despite the importance of these processes. We measured the ERN and Pe ERP components, neural correlates of error processing, using a modified flanker task in adolescents with mTBI and health controls (n = 36; n = 27) within three weeks of injury and again approximately 10 months later (n = 29; n = 24). The main effect of group was not significant on ERN (p = .13) or Pe (p = .13) in the subacute stage. Although group did have a significant influence on ERN (p = .049) and Pe (p = .029) amplitudes when collapsed across accuracy and time points, the group-by-accuracy interaction was not significant for either component ( p = .21; p = .68). In this sample of adolescents with mTBI, ERN and Pe amplitudes specific to errors were not significantly impacted by mTBI either immediately following injury or over time. There was a modest overall decline across components and accuracy that reflects a general effect of mTBI, but not a specific finding relative to error processing. Overall findings suggest ERN and Pe amplitudes are not specifically vulnerable to mTBI and are not clear physiological indicators of mTBI presence.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology

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