Functional connectivity group differences in response to positive feedback
CF, fatigue
Group differences in functional connectivity during performance feedback processing in the current study may provide some support for this explanation. Compared to NT participants, MS participants showed significantly stronger coupling between the VS and left AG and right STG, in response to positive feedback. Stronger VS-STG connectivity also displayed a non-significant trending association with better learning within the MS group. The left AG is associated with semantic retrieval of language (Our results also indicate potential attenuated coupling between the caudate and dACC associated with higher state fatigue ratings in MS participants, compared to NT participants, in response to positive feedback. The dACC is associated with performance monitoring and cognitive control functions (Within the NT group, there was a significant relationship between greater state CF and enhanced connectivity between these regions that was robust to the exclusion of an outlier. These findings align with reports of a similar relationship between enhanced cortico-striatal connectivity and elevated CF during a demanding working memory task in NT individuals (Thus, the current study provides evidence for altered VS functional connectivity during performance feedback processing in people with MS that may assist their learning from that feedback. Additional work, however, is needed to further probe the nature of the relationship between caudate functional connectivity and CF that occurs during feedback processing in MS.