Cortical Measures of Anticipation

Abstract

Anticipation increases the efficiency of cognitive processes by partial advance activation of the neural substrate involved in those processes. In the case of perceptual anticipation, a slow cortical potential named Stimulus-Preceding Negativity (SPN) has been identified. The SPN has been observed preceding four types of stimuli: (1) stimuli providing knowledge-of-results (KR) about past performance, (2) stimuli conveying an instruction about a future task, (3) probe stimuli against which the outcome of a previous task has to be matched, and (4) affective stimuli. The morphology and scalp distribution of the SPN is different in each of these cases, suggesting the presence of separable components. This article reviews more than 15 years of SPN research. Possible neurophysiological generators are considered, as well as models that may describe the generation of the SPN. Suggestions for future research into anticipatory processes and the associated psychophysiological measures are made.

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