title: Sequential processing in young and older adults in the equiprobable auditory Go/NoGo task.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We recently proposed a sequential processing schema for the equiprobable auditory Go/NoGo task, based on a principal components analysis (PCA) of event-related potentials (ERPs) from a university student sample. Here we sought to replicate the schema, and use it to explore processing in well-functioning older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared behavioural responding and ERPs of 20 independent-living older adults (Mage=68.2years) to data from a sex- and handedness-matched group of university students (Mage=20.4years). ERPs had substantial latency differences between the groups, and hence were subjected to separate group temporal PCAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Component latencies were systematically increased in the older group by some 26%, with no significant increase in RT or error rates. Despite some differences in their identified components, each group displayed differential component responsivity to Go versus NoGo; this was reduced in the older participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support our processing schema, and provide insight into the processing stages in well-functioning older adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the perceptual and cognitive processing stages in normal ageing is a pre-requisite for research on mild cognitive impairment and dementia. This study may also provide a simple paradigm and schema suitable for further exploration of functionality in ageing.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, and Psychopharmacology, Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Electronic address: rbarry@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, and Psychopharmacology, Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Frances M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: De Blasio
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, and Psychopharmacology, Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Adele E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cave
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ageing; Auditory equiprobable Go/NoGo task; Event-related potentials (ERPs); Principal components analysis (PCA); Sequential processing schema