Performance-Monitoring System

The performance-monitoring system, in the brain’s frontal lobes near the motor cortex, is activated when a conflict is detected and response mechanisms kick in. It engages cognitive and affective executive functions (EF) important for daily life and for adjusting future behavior in a changing world. Some EFs process feedback from internal or external sources, detect errors, manage conflicting responses, allocate attentional resources, and regulate emotional responses. Performance-monitoring can be impaired in those with psychiatric disorders, as well as by those negatively affected by fatigue, stress, and alcohol use.