Age-related changes in antisaccade task performance: inhibitory control or working-memory engagement?
In antisaccade tasks, subjects are required to generate a saccade in the direction opposite to the location of a sudden-onset target stimulus. Compared to young adults, older adults tend to make more reflex-like eye movements towards the target, and/or show longer saccadic onset latencies on correct direct antisaccades. To better understand the nature of these effects of aging on antisaccade performance, we examined the role of age-related deficiencies in inhibitory control vis-a-vis age changes in the engagement of working memory. Inhibitory demands were manipulated using fixation-offset conditions, while working-memory demands were manipulated by varying memory-updating requirements. The results indicate that inhibitory oculomotor functions remain largely intact with advancing age; older adults' performance breaks down only when their limited working-memory capacity is taxed by increasing updating demands.
Eenshuistra
Rena M
RM
Cognitive Psychology Unit, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.
Ridderinkhof
K Richard
KR
van der Molen
Maurits W
MW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005364:Field Dependence-Independence; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*