Objective:To study the differences of activated brain areas during brain error monitoring in schizophrenia patients.Methods: The latencies and amplitudes of error related negativity (ERN) were obtained in 16 patients with first episode schizophrenia and 25 normal controls by high-density event related potential (ERP) technique,and the activated areas were analyzed by low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA).Results: The correct response rate was significantly lower in the schizophrenia participant group than in the control group (P<0.01),and the reaction periods of correct responses and incorrect responses were significantly longer in the schizophrenia group than in the control group (P<0.05,P<0.01).The ERN latencies in the schizophrenic patients were significantly longer on Cz and Pz electrodes compared with those in the control subjects (P<0.05),and ERN amplitudes were significantly smaller than those in the controls (P<0.05).The activation of insula,superior temporal gyrus,middle temporal gyrus,and inferior parietal lobule were obviously lower in the schizophrenic participants than in the controls.Conclusion: Some brain area,such as insular,may contribute to the dysfunction of error monitoring in schizophrenia patients.