Citation

Roggeveen AB, Prime DJ, Ward LM. J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci. 2007; 62(2): 78-84.

Affiliation

2136 West Mall, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada. alexar@interchange.ubc.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Gerontological Society of America, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17379675

Abstract

Older adults consistently show slower reaction times (RTs) to the onset of motion. Both cognitive slowing and motor slowing have been suggested as causes of this effect. The lateralized readiness potential (LRP) of the electroencephalogram can be used to separate perceptual and decision processes from motor programming and execution as causes of RT differences. We used the LRP to discern the origin of slowing in RT to motion onset that occurs in elderly individuals. After the onset of motion in a visual display, we asked participants to identify the direction of that motion (up or down) by pressing a button. Older participants showed significantly slower RTs than did younger participants. The LRP showed that the bulk of slowed response arose from slowed motor processes, rather than perceptual processing. We discuss the differences found in amplitude and onset latency of the LRP in the context of theories of motion processing and inhibition in the aging brain.

Language: en