背景與目的
本研究欲探討阿茲海默氏症 (Alzheimer’s disease, AD) 病人於快速反應中的行為監控 (action monitoring) 能力，於病程初期是否已出現障礙。除了行為測量正確率與反應時間外，分析事件相關電位 (event-related potential, ERP) 刺激鎖定 (stimulus-locked) 成份波：P2、N2波，以及反應鎖定 (response-locked) 成份波：錯誤關聯負波 (error-related negativity, ERN)、正確反應負波 (correct response negativity, CRN)、錯誤正波 (error positivity)。

方法
使用旁側夾擊作業 (flanker task) 作為實驗派典，在干擾項目影響下，請受試者對螢幕上目標項目 (target) 做出最快最正確之反應。測量正確率、反應時間等行為資料，同時蒐集腦波，事後分析反應前後所出現之ERP成份波。

結果
一共納入20位早期阿茲海默氏症患者 (11位極輕度AD患者、9位輕度AD患者) 以及10位一般控制組受試者。輕度AD組在正確與錯誤嘗試次反應時間無差異，錯後正確率低於對後正確率，且ERN振幅顯著較低。而極輕度AD組在正確率、反應時間等行為表現上雖與一般控制組相類似，但Pe振幅顯著較低。兩組AD在Fz、FCz電極，ERN及CRN間振幅差異皆未達顯著，顯示在快速反應下，對自身反應有不確定感 (uncertainty)。

結論
輕度AD組在行為和電生理訊號上皆顯示行為監控之障礙，極輕度AD組即使在行為上與一般控制組無異，但於電生理訊號上已出現異常現象，並且兩組AD患者在快速反應下，皆對自身反應存有不確定感。

Background and Objective
This study aimed to investigate possible deficits in action monitoring ability of patients with early Alzheimer Disease (AD). We used event-related potential (ERP) to examine response-locked error-related negativity (ERN), correct response negativity (CRN), error positivity (Pe) and stimulus-locked P2, N2 components.

Methods
We adopted flanker task as the experiment paradigm. Participants were asked to respond as quickly and accordingly to the target items displayed on the monitor with interference. We recorded behavioral responses as well as electrophysiological signal at the same time.

Results
Twenty AD patients (11 very mild AD, VM; 9 mild AD, ML) and 10 normal controls (NC) completed the study. Patients of ML group showed no differences in reaction time between correct and error trials, with post-error accuracy lower than post-correct accuracy, and decreased ERN amplitude. Patients of VM group showed similar results with NC group in error rate and reaction time, but with decreased Pe amplitude. Moreover, a lack of difference between ERN and CRN amplitude was observed among both AD groups.

Conclusions
The results of behavioral data and ERP signal showed patients in ML group suffers dysfunction in action monitoring ability. However, patients in VM group showed mild abnormality despite sharing similar behavioral results with NC group. Both groups of AD patients indicated uncertainty in rapid action.

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