title: The effect of aging on EEG brain oscillations related to sensory and sensorimotor functions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The question of the present study is whether the brain as a system with gradually decreasing resources maximizes its performance by reorganizing neural networks for greater efficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Auditory event-related low frequency oscillations (delta δ - [2, 4]Hz; theta θ - [4.5, 7]Hz; alpha α - [7.5, 12]Hz) were examined during an auditory discrimination motor task (low-frequency tone - right hand movement, high-frequency tone - left hand movement) between two groups with mean age 26.3 and 55 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amplitudes of the phase-locked δ, θ and α activity were more pronounced with a progressive increase in age during the sensory processing, independent of tone type. The difference between the groups with respect to scalp distribution was tone-independent for delta/theta oscillations, but not for the alpha activity. Age-related and tone-dependent changes in α band activity were focused at frontal and sensorimotor areas. Neither functional brain specificity was observed for the amplitudes of the low-frequency (δ, θ, α) oscillations during the cognitive processing, which diminished with increasing age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cognitive brain oscillatory specificity diminished with increasing age.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address: juliana@bio.bas.bg.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dushanova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Age effect; Auditory event-related low frequency oscillations; Sensory-motor task