Age‐related slowing of reaction times (RTs) is well documented but whether the phenomenon reflects deficits in movement preparation and/or response generation processes is unclear. To gain further insight into this issue, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to investigate motor cortex (M1) excitability and short‐interval intracortical inhibitory (SICI) processes during a Go/NoGo RT task in younger and older adults. Single‐ and paired‐pulse TMS was delivered over the left M1 during preparation and response generation periods in a right‐hand muscle. Younger adults had shorter RTs and a larger increase in corticospinal excitability at response generation period than older adults. SICI modulation for both groups showed a large reduction in inhibition immediately prior to EMG onset. These findings indicate age‐related differences in corticospinal excitability during the response generation stage of sensorimotor information processing.
", language="", issn="0048-5772", doi="10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01201.x", url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01201.x" }