Pupillometry and P3 index the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic arousal function in humans
Open accessAbstract
The adaptive gain theory highlights the pivotal role of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic (LC-NE) system in regulating task engagement. In humans, however, LC-NE functional dynamics remain largely unknown. We evaluated the utility of two candidate psychophysiological markers of LC-NE activity: the P3 event-related potential and pupil diameter. Electroencephalogram and pupillometry data were collected from 24 participants who performed a 37-min auditory oddball task. As predicted by the adaptive gain theory, prestimulus pupil diameter exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship to P3 and task performance such that largest P3 amplitudes and optimal performance occurred at the same intermediate level of pupil diameter. Large phasic pupil dilations, by contrast, were elicited during periods of poor performance and were followed by reengagement in the task and increased P3 amplitudes. These results support recent proposals that pupil diameter and the P3 are sensitive to LC-NE mode.
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In an auditory odd-ball task, response latency upon detection of the correct stimulus was shortest at mid-pupil diameters in human subjects and the P3 evoked potential was also maximal at this level of arousal, resulting in U (latency) and inverted-U (P3 amplitude) relationships with pupil-indexed arousal.
“In an auditory odd-ball task, response latency upon detection of the correct stimulus was shortest at mid-pupil diameters in human subjects and the P3 evoked potential was also maximal at this level of arousal, resulting in U (latency) and inverted-U (evoked cortical field potential P3 amplitude) relationships with pupil-indexed arousal (Murphy et al., 2011).”
From Waking state: rapid variations modulate neural and behavioral responses (2015) · cites this paper as Murphy et al., 2011
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References 80 · Cited by 519
- Authors
- Murphy, P. R., Robertson, I. H., Balsters, J. H., & O'connell, R. G.
- Affiliations
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Murphy, Peter R.
- Venue
- Psychophysiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-07-18
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1532-1543
- ISSN
- 0048-5772 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8986
- OpenAlex
- W1932385070
- Cited by
- 519
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 6.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- City Research Online (City University London) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology
- Irish Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- P3 event-related potential, pupil size, task engagement, auditory oddball paradigm, task performance
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Arousal, Cognition, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Female, Humans, Locus Coeruleus, Male, Neurons, Norepinephrine, Pupil, Event-Related Potentials, P300
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