title: Are Age-Related Differences Uniform Across Different Inhibitory Functions?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the current experiment, we examined the relative age-sensitivity of 3 inhibitory functions: access, deletion, and restraint by taking into consideration their underlying control processes: proactive and reactive control.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 3 inhibitory functions were measured using a sequential flanker task. Young (age: 18-35, n = 24) and older adults (age: 60-75, n = 25) first memorized a series of 8 animal words in a fixed order. In the test phase, these stimuli were presented randomly either singly or with flankers and participants responded "yes" or "no" based on the prelearned sequence. In the access trials, flankers were either ahead of the current target or unrelated. In the deletion trials, flankers were previous target items. In the restraint trials, the flanker cues (XXXX) prompted the participants to withhold responses occasionally. Unflanked trials served as the baseline condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age-related differences in the magnitude of inhibition effects were largest in restraint, followed by deletion. No age-related differences were observed in access.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the magnitude of age-related differences in inhibitory functions is contingent on the degree of proactive control recruited by a given inhibitory function.
authors: Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. kiran.vadaga@gmail.com.
authors: Kiran K
authors: KK
authors: Vadaga
authors: Department of Cognitive Neurology, Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Mervin
authors: M
authors: Blair
authors: Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors: Karen Z H
authors: KZ
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Inhibition; Proactive and reactive control