title: Behavioral evidence for a differential modulation of semantic processing and lexical production by aging: a full linear mixed-effects modeling approach.
abstract: The effect of normal aging on lexical production and semantic processing was evaluated in 72 healthy participants. Four tasks were used, picture naming (PN), picture categorization (PC), numerical judgment (NJ), and color judgment (CJ). The dependence of reaction time (RT) and correct responses with age was accounted by mixed-effects models. Participants underwent neuropsychological testing for verbal, executive, and memory functions. The RTs increase significantly with age for all tasks. After parceling out the non-specific cognitive decline, as reflected by the NJ task, the RT for the PN task decreases with age. Behavioral data were interpreted in relation with neuropsychological scores. Our results suggest that (a) naming becomes more automatic and semantic processing slightly more difficult with age, and (b) a non-specific general slowdown of cognitive processing occurs with age. Lexical production remained unaltered, based on compensatory automatic processes. This study also suggests a possible slowdown of semantic processing, even in normal aging.
authors.affiliation: a Université Grenoble Alpes , LPNC , Grenoble , France.|b CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105 , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Naïla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boudiaf
authors.affiliation: a Université Grenoble Alpes , LPNC , Grenoble , France.|b CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105 , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2180-9250
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laboissière
authors.affiliation: a Université Grenoble Alpes , LPNC , Grenoble , France.|b CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105 , Grenoble , France.|d UMS IRMaGe, IRM 3T Recherche , Université Grenoble Alpes , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Émilie
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Cousin
authors.affiliation: a Université Grenoble Alpes , LPNC , Grenoble , France.|c Université Savoie Mont Blanc , LPNC , Chambéry , France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fournet
authors.affiliation: d UMS IRMaGe, IRM 3T Recherche , Université Grenoble Alpes , Grenoble , France.|e GIN-Neuroimagerie Fonctionnelle et Perfusion Cérébrale , Université Grenoble Alpes , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krainik
authors.affiliation: a Université Grenoble Alpes , LPNC , Grenoble , France.|b CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105 , Grenoble , France.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baciu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011930:Reaction Time; D012660:Semantics; D013060:Speech; D014796:Visual Perception
keywords: Aging; full linear mixed-effect modeling; healthy; picture naming (PN); semantic processing