title: Aging and sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects: An EEG study in arithmetic problem solving.
abstract: This study investigated age-related differences in electrophysiological signatures of sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects. Sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects refer to decreased poorer strategy effects (i.e., poorer performance when the cued strategy is not the best) on current problem following poorer strategy problems compared to after better strategy problems. Analyses on electrophysiological (EEG) data revealed important age-related changes in time, frequency, and coherence of brain activities underlying sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects. More specifically, sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects were associated with earlier and later time windows (i.e., between 200- and 550 ms and between 850- and 1250 ms). Event-related potentials (ERPs) also revealed an earlier onset in older adults, together with more anterior and less lateralized activations. Furthermore, sequential modulations of poorer strategy effects were associated with theta and alpha frequencies in young adults while these modulations were found in delta frequency and theta inter-hemispheric coherence in older adults, consistent with qualitatively distinct patterns of brain activity. These findings have important implications to further our understanding of age-related differences and similarities in sequential modulations of cognitive control processes during arithmetic strategy execution.
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université & CNRS, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinault
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS & IUF, Marseille, France. Electronic address: patrick.lemaire@univ-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.affiliation: Concordia University, Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Arithmetic; Cognitive control; EEG; Strategy