title: [Hemispheric asymmetry modulation for language processing in aging: meta-analysis of studies using the dichotic listening test].
abstract: Growing evidence suggests that age impacts on interhemispheric representation of language. Dichotic listening test allows assessing language lateralization for spoken language and it generally reveals right-ear/left-hemisphere (LH) predominance for language in young adult subjects. According to reported results, elderly would display increasing LH predominance in some studies or stable LH language lateralization for language in others ones. The aim of this study was to depict the main pattern of results in respect with the effect of normal aging on the hemisphere specialization for language by using dichotic listening test. A meta-analysis based on 11 studies has been performed. The inter-hemisphere asymmetry does not seem to increase according to age. A supplementary qualitative analysis suggests that right-ear advantage seems to increase between 40 and 49 y old and becomes stable or decreases after 55 y old, suggesting right-ear/LH decline.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de psychologie et neurocognition, UMR CNRS 5105, Université Pierre Mendès-France, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanhoucke
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cousin
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baciu
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language
keywords: aging; dichotic listening; hemisphere; language; specialization